1 D K.AK.  * 

OF  THE 

U N I VLR.S  ITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 

From  the  Library  of 
Arthur  Hill  Daniels 
Professor  of  Philosophy 
Acting  President  1933/34 
Presented  by  Mrs.  Daniels 

JTUJ? 

cop-  2 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/lawsprinciplesof00cave_4 


ft 


FRONTISPIECE. 


WHIST  (from  “The  Compleat  Gamester,”  1674). 

Lastly , obferve  the  zcomen  with  what  grace 
fihey  Jit,  and  look  their  Partners  in  the  face. 

Who  from  their  eyes  foot  Cupids  fiery  Darts  ; 
fhits  make  them  lofeatonce  their  Game  and  Hearts . 


♦ 


-7*7- 


4- 


THE 


f 


LAWS  AND  PRINCIPLES 

OF 

WHIST 

STATED  AND  EXPLAINED 

AND  ITS 

PRACTICE  ILLUSTRATED 

ON 

AN  ORIGINAL  SYSTEM 

BY  MEANS  OF 

HANDS  PLAYED  COMPLETELY  THROUGH. 


f 


a 


CAVENDISH.” 


AMERICAN  EDITION,  REVISED 

TO  CORRESPOND  WITH  THE 

ENGLISH  TWENTY-THIRD  EDITION 


NEW  YORK: 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER’S  SONS. 

LONDON : 

THOMAS  DE  LA  RUE  & CO. 


1899 


ALL  Ricmra  KtUHVlSU 


4 


Copyright,  1895,  by 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER’S  SON& 


TROW  DIRECTORY 

PRINTING  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  ENGLISH  EDITION. 


It  has  often  occurred  to  the  Author  that  there 
are  two  principal  defects  in  the  existing  treatises 
on  the  game  of  Whist — the  one,  that  the  princi- 
ples of  play  are,  in  general,  laid  down  as  so  many 
isolated  and  arbitrary  conventions,  the  reasons 
upon  which  such  principles  are  based  being  sel- 
dom, if  at  all,  and  scarcely  ever  fully,  stated  ; the 
other,  that  suitable  illustrations,  by  which  alone 
the  principles  can  be  brought  forcibly  home  and 
fixed  in  the  memory,  are  almost  entirely  wanting. 
The  present  work  is  an  attempt  to  supply  these 
deficiencies.  With  regard  to  the  latter,  the  Au- 
thor feels  that  nothing,  in  point  of  illustration  of 
principles,  can  be  so  instructive  as  a selection  of 
hands  played  completely  through,  and  accom- 
panied by  copious  explanations.  The  idea,  it  is 
believed,  as  applied  to  Whist,  is  a new  one, 
though  a similar  plan  has  long  been  in  use  in 
treatises  on  Chess. 

It  has  not  been  deemed  necessary  to  occupy 
space  by  detailing  the  mode  of  playing  and  of 
scoring,  as  this  information  can  be  readily  ac- 
quired at  the  table.  The  reader  is,  therefore, 
credited  with  this  elementary  knowledge,  and  is 
conducted  at  once  to  the  General  Principles, 
which  he  is  advised  to  consider  carefully  before 
proceeding  to  the  Hands. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


This  Edition  contains  the  whole  of  the  prin- 
ciples, examples,  and  hands  of  the  latest  English 
Edition,  with  the  exception  of  one  hand  in  which 
the  original  play  depends  on  the  holding  of 
honours.  Such  a hand  would  be  unsuitable  for 
an  American  Edition,  and  another  has  been  sub- 
stituted. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  mode  of  scoring  at 
Whist,  generally  adopted  in  The  United  States, 
differs  somewhat  from  that  prevalent  in  Eng- 
land. Single  games  (five  or  seven  up)  are  played 
in  place  of  rubbers  ; singles,  doubles,  trebles, 
and  rubber  points  are  omitted  ; and  honours  are 
not  reckoned. 

This  method  of  play,  while  leaving  general 
principles  untouched,  causes  modifications  of  de- 
tail. In  the  present  Edition,  the  play  has  been 
made  to  conform  to  the  American  standard,  and 
the  examples  and  hands  have  been  recast  with 
the  same  object. 

The  growth  and  general  acceptance  of  Ameri- 
can Leads,  and  the  wide  use  of  the  English  edi- 
tion of  this  work  in  The  United  States,  point  to 


Vlll  PREFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


the  natural  propriety  of  the  issue  of  a special 
American  Edition,  adapted  to  American  scoring. 

In  some  American  Clubs,  the  laws  of  Whist  in 
force  in  England  are  followed  ; in  others  the  laws 
of  the  American  Whist  League  prevail.  It  has 
therefore  been  thought  advisable  to  include  both 
codes  in  this  Edition.  Laws  of  the  English 
code,  which  do  not  apply  to  the  American  plan 
of  scoring,  are  printed  within  brackets. 

Portland  Club,  London,  Eng. 

November , i8gj. 


CONTENTS, 


PAGE 

The  Laws  of  Whist  (English  Code) 3 

Etiquette  of  Whist  ( ,,  ,,  ) 23 

The  Laws  of  Whist  (League  Code) .26 

Etiquette  of  Whist  ( ,,  ,,  ) 37 

Laws  of  Duplicate  Whist 39 


Historical 47 


PART  I. 

GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


THE  FIRST  HAND  OR  LEAD. 

Original  Leads 76 

Leads  from  Strong  Suits 76 

„ Analysis  of,  in  Detail 85 

,,  from  Weak  Suits  95 

,,  at  Advanced  Periods . 97 

Returned  Leads 102 


THE  SECOND  HAND. 

Play  of  the  Second  Hand 106 

,,  ,,  with  Strong  Suits  . . 106 

,,  ,,  with  Sequences  . . . 107 

,v  ,,  Analysis  of,  in  Detail  109 


X 


CONTENTS. 


THE  THIRD  HAND. 

PAGE 

Play  of  the  Third  Hand  when  the  Lead  is 

from  Strong  Suits 117 

Finessing .118 

Play  of  the  Third  Hand  when  the  Lead  is 
from  Weak  Suits . . 118 


THE  FOURTH  HAND. 

Play  of  the  Fourth  Hand  .........  121 


The  Command  of  Suits 122 

Underplay 128 


Discarding 131 


The  Conversation  of  the  Game  . . . '.  . .135 


TRUMPS. 

The  Management  of  Trumps 147 

Leading  Trumps 148 

Asking  for  Trumps 154 

Trumping 158 

Forcing 161 


Playing  to  the  Score 164 

Drawing  Inferences 166 

Coups 172 


PART  II. 

• • *9* 


Hands 


LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 

ENGLISH  CODE. 


THE  RUBBER. 

1.  [The  rubber  is  the  best  of  three  games.  If 
the  first  two  games  be  won  by  the  same  players, 
the  third  game  is  not  played.] 

SCORING. 

2.  A game  consists  of  five  points.  Each  trick, 
above  six,  counts  one  point. 

3.  [Honours,  /.<?.,  Ace,  King,  Queen,  and  Knave 
of  trumps,  are  thus  reckoned  : 

If  a player  and  his  partner,  either  separately 
or  conjointly,  hold — 

I.  The  four  honours,  they  score  four  points. 

II.  Any  three  honours,  they  score  two  points. 

III.  Only  two  honours,  they  do  not  score.] 

4.  [Those  players,  who,  at  the  commencement 
of  a deal,  are  at  the  score  of  four,  cannot  score 
honours.] 


4 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


5.  The  penalty  for  a revoke1  takes  precedence 
of  all  other  scores.  Tricks  score  next.  [Hon- 
ours last.] 

6.  [Honours,  unless  claimed  before  the  trump 
card  of  the  following  deal  is  turned  up,  cannot 
be  scored.] 

7.  [To  score  honours  is  not  sufficient ; they 
must  be  called  at  the  end  of  the  hand ; if  so 
called,  they  may  be  scored  at  any  time  during 
the  game.] 

8.  [The  winners  gain — 

I.  A treble,  or  game  of  three  points,  when  their 
adversaries  have  not  scored. 

II.  A double,  or  game  of  two  points,  when  their 
adversaries  have  scored  less  than  three. 

III.  A single,  or  game  of  one  point,  when  their 
adversaries  have  scored  three,  or  four.] 

9.  [The  winners  of  the  rubber  gain  two  points 
(commonly  called  the  rubber  points),  in  addition 
to  the  value  of  their  games.] 

10.  [Should  the  rubber  have  consisted  of  three 
games,  the  value  of  the  losers*  game  is  deducted 
from  the  gross  number  of  points  gained  by  their 
opponents.] 

11.  If  an  erroneous  score  be  proved,  such 
mistake  can  be  corrected  prior  to  the  conclusion 
of  the  game  in  which  it  occurred,  [and  such 
game  is  not  concluded  until  the  trump  card  of 
the  first  deal  of  the  following  game  has  been 
turned  up.] 


1 Vide  Law  72. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


5 


12.  [If  an  erroneous  score,  affecting  the 
amount  of  the  rubber,1  be  proved,  such  mistake 
can  be  rectified  at  any  time  during  the  rubber.] 

CUTTING. 

13.  The  ace  is  the  lowest  card. 

14.  In  all  cases,  every  one  must  cut  from  the 
same  pack. 

15.  Should  a player  expose  more  than  one 
card,  he  must  cut  again. 

FORMATION  OF  TABLE 

1 6.  If  there  are  more  than  four  candidates, 
the  players  are  selected  by  cutting  : those  first 
in  the  room  having  the  preference.  The  four 
who  cut  the  lowest  cards  play  first,  and  again  cut 
to  decide  on  partners  ; the  two  lowest  play 
against  the  two  highest ; the  lowest  is  the  dealer, 
who  has  choice  of  cards  and  seats,  and,  having 
once  made  his  selection,  must  abide  by  it. 

17.  When  there  are  more  than  six  candidates, 
those  who  cut  the  two  next  lowest  cards  belong 
to  the  table,  which  is  complete  with  six  players  ; 
on  the  retirement  of  one  of  those  six  players, 
the  candidate  who  cut  the  next  lowest  card  has 
a prior  right  to  any  aftercomer  to  enter  the  ta- 
ble. 

1 \e.g.  If  a single  is  scored  by  mistake  for  a double  or  treble,  or 
vice  versa.] 


6 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


CUTTING  CARDS  OF  EQUAL  VALUE. 

18.  Two  players  cutting  cards  of  equal  value,1 
unless  such  cards  are  the  two  highest,  cut  again  ; 
should  they  be  the  two  lowest,  a fresh  cut  is 

. necessary  to  decide  which  of  those  two  deals.2 

19.  Three  players  cutting  cards  of  equal  value 
cut  again  ; should  the  fourth  (or  remaining)  card 
be  the  highest,  the  two  lowest  of  the  new  cut  are 
partners,  the  lower  of  those  two  the  dealer;  should 
the  fourth  card  be  the  lowest,  the  two  highest  are 
partners,  the  original  lowest  the  dealer.3 

CUTTING  OUT. 

20.  At  the  end  of  a game  [rubber],  should  ad- 
mission be  claimed  by  any  one,  or  by  two  candi- 
dates, he  who  has,  or  they  who  have,  played  a 


1 In  cutting  for  partners. 

2 Example.  A three,  two  sixes,  and  a knave  are  cut.  The  two 
sixes  cut  again,  and  the  lower  plays  with  the  three.  Suppose  at  the 
second  cut,  the  two  sixes  cut  a king  and  a queen,  the  queen  plays 
with  the  three. 

If  at  the  second  cut  a lower  card  than  the  three  is  cut,  the  three 
still  retains  its  privileges  as  original  low,  and  has  the  deal  and  choice 
of  cards  and  seats. 

3 Exa7nple.  Three  aces  and  a two  are  cut.  The  three  aces  cut 
again.  The  two  is  the  original  high,  and  plays  with  the  highest  of  the 
next  cut. 

Suppose  at  the  second  cut,  two  more  twos  and  a king  are  drawn. 
The  king  plays  writh  the  original  two,  and  the  other  pair  of  twos  cut 
again  for  deal. 

Suppose  instead,  the  second  cut  to  consist  of  an  ace  and  two  knaves. 
The  two  knaves  cut  again,  and  the  higher  plays  with  the  two. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


7 


greater  number  of  consecutive  games  [rubbers] 
than  the  others  is,  or  are,  out ; but  when  all  have 
played  the  same  number,  they  must  cut  to  decide 
upon  the  out-goers  ; the  highest  are  out. 

ENTRY  AND  RE-ENTRY. 

21.  A candidate  wishing  to  enter  a table  must 
declare  such  intention  prior  to  any  of  the  players 
having  cut  a card,  either  for  the  purpose  of  com- 
mencing a fresh  game  [rubber]  or  of  cutting  out. 

22.  In  the  formation  of  fresh  tables,  those  can- 
didates who  have  neither  belonged  to  nor  played 
at  any  other  table  have  the  prior  right  of  entry  ; 
the  others  decide  their  right  of  admission  by 
cutting. 

23.  Any  one  quitting  a table  prior  to  the  con- 
clusion of  a game  [rubber],  may,  with  consent  of 
the  other  three  players,  appoint  a substitute  in 
his  absence  during  that  game  [rubber]. 

24.  A player  cutting  into  one  table,  whilst  be- 
longing to  another,  loses  his  right1  of  re-entry 
into  that  latter,  and  takes  his  chance  of  cutting 
in,  as  if  he  were  a fresh  candidate.2 

25.  If  any  one  break  up  a table,  the  remaining 
players  have  the  prior  right  to  him  of  entry  into 
any  other,  and  should  there  not  be  sufficient  va- 
cancies at  such  other  table  to  admit  all  those 
candidates,  they  settle  their  precedence  by  cut- 
ting. 

1 i.e.y  his  prior  right. 

2 And  last  in  the  room  ( vide  Law  16). 


8 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


SHUFFLING* 

2 6.  The  pack  must  neither  be  shuffled  below 
the  table  nor  so  that  the  face  of  any  card  be 
seen. 

27.  The  pack  must  not  be  shuffled  during  the 
play  of  the  hand. 

28.  A pack,  having  been  played  with,  must 
neither  be  shuffled,  by  dealing  it  into  packets, 
nor  across  the  table. 

29.  Each  player  has  a right  to  shuffle,  once 
only,  except  as  provided  by  Rule  32,  prior  to  a 
deal,  after  a false  cut,1  or  when  a new  deal 2 has 
occurred. 

30.  The  dealer’s  partner  must  collect  the  cards 
for  the  ensuing  deal,  and  has  the  first  right  to 
shuffle  that  pack. 

31.  Each  player,  after  shuffling,  must  place  the 
cards,  properly  collected  and  face  downwards,  to 
the  left  of  the  player  about  to  deal. 

32.  The  dealer  has  always  the  right  to  shuffle 
last ; but  should  a card  or  cards  be  seen  during 
his  shuffling  or  whilst  giving  the  pack  to  be  cut, 
he  may  be  compelled  to  re-shuffle. 

THE  DEAL. 

33.  Each  player  deals  in  his  turn  ; the  right  of 
dealing  goes  to  the  left. 


1 Vide  Law  34. 


2 Vide  Law  37. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


9 


34.  The  player  on  the  dealer’s  right  cuts  the 
pack,  and  in  dividing  it,  must  not  leave  fewer 
than  four  cards  in  either  packet ; if  in  cutting, 
or  in  replacing  one  of  the  two  packets  on  the 
other,  a card  be  exposed,1  or  if  there  be  any  con- 
fusion of  the  cards,  or  a doubt  as  to  the  exact 
place  in  which  the  pack  was  divided,  there  must 
be  a fresh  cut. 

35.  When  a player,  whose  duty  it  is  to  cut, 
has  once  separated  the  pack,  he  cannot  alter  his 
intention  ; he  can  neither  re-shuffle  nor  re-cut 
the  cards. 

36.  When  the  pack  is  cut,  should  the  dealer 
shuffle  the  cards,  he  loses  his  deal. 

A NEW  DEAL. 

37.  There  must  be  a new  deal 2 3 — 

I.  If,  during  a deal,  or  during  the  play  of  a hand, 
-the  pack  be  proved  incorrect  or  imperfect. 

II.  If  any  card,  excepting  the  last,  be  faced  in  the 
pack. 

38.  If,  whilst  dealing,  a card  be  exposed  by 
the  dealer  or  his  partner,  should  neither  of  the 
adversaries  have  touched  the  cards,  the  latter 
can  claim  a new  deal  ; a card  exposed  by  either 
adversary  gives  that  claim  to  the  dealer,  pro- 

1 After  the  two  packets  have  been  re-united,  Law  38  comes  into  oper- 

ation. 

3 i.e .,  the  same  dealer  must  deal  again.  Vide  also  Laws  47  and  50. 


IO  THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


vided  that  his  partner  has  not  touched  a card  ; 
if  a new  deal  does  not  take  place,  the  exposed 
card  cannot  be  called. 

39.  If,  during  dealing,  a player  touch  any  of 
his  cards,  the  adversaries  may  do  the  same,  with- 
out losing  their  privilege  of  claiming  a new  deal, 
should  chance  give  them  such  option. 

40.  If,  in  dealing,  one  of  the  last  cards  be  ex- 
posed, and  the  dealer  turn  up  the  trump  before 
there  is  reasonable  time  for  his  adversaries  to 
decide  as  to  a fresh  deal,  they  do  not  thereby 
lose  their  privilege. 

41.  If  a player,  whilst  dealing,  look  at  the 
trump  card,  his  adversaries  have  a right  to  see 
it,  and  may  exact  a new  deal. 

42.  If  a player  take  into  the  hand  dealt  to  him 
a card  belonging  to  the  other  pack,  the  adver- 
saries, on  discovery  of  the  error,  may  decide 
whether  they  will  have  a fresh  deal  or  not. 

A MISDEAL. 

43.  A misdeal  loses  the  deal.1 

44.  It  is  a misdeal2 — 

I.  Unless  the  cards  are  dealt  into  four  packets,  one 
at  a time  in  regular  rotation,  beginning  with  the 
player  to  the  dealer’s  left. 


1 Except  as  provided  in  Laws  45  and  50. 

2 Vide  also  Law  36. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST, 


1 1 


II.  Should  the  dealer  place  the  last  {i.e.y  the  trump) 
card,  face  downwards,  on  his  own,  or  any 
other*  pack. 

III.  Should  the  trump  card  not  come  in  its  regular 

order  to  the  dealer  ; but  he  does  not  lose  his 
deal  if  the  pack  be  proved  imperfect. 

IV.  Should  a player  have  fourteen  1 cards,  and  either 

of  the  other  three  less  than  thirteen.2 

V.  Should  the  dealer,  under  an  impression  that  he 
has  made  a mistake , either  count  the  cards  on 
the  table,  or  the  remainder  of  the  pack. 

VI,  Should  the  dealer  deal  two  cards  at  once,  or  two 
cards  to  the  same  hand,  and  then  deal  a third  ; 
but  if,  prior  to  dealing  that  third  card,  the 
dealer  can,  by  altering  the  position  of  one  card 
only,  rectify  such  error,  he  may  do  so,  except 
as  provided  by  the  second  paragraph  of  this 
Law. 

VII.  Should  the  dealer  omit  to  have  the  pack  cut  to 
him,  and  the  adversaries  discover  the  error, 
prior  to  the  trump  card  being  turned  up,  and 
before  looking  at  their  cards,  but  not  after 
having  done  so. 

45.  A misdeal  does  not  lose  the  deal  if,  during 
the  dealing,  either  of  the  adversaries  touch  the 
cards  prior  to  the  dealer’s  partner  having  done 
so,  but  should  the  latter  have  first  interfered 
with  the  cards,  notwithstanding  either  or  both 
of  the  adversaries  have  subsequently  done  the 
same,  the  deal  is  lost. 

46.  Should  three  players  have  their  right  num- 
ber of  cards — the  fourth  have  less  than  thirteen, 

1 Or  more. 

2 The  pack  being  perfect.  Vide  Law  47. 


12 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


and  not  discover  such  deficiency  until  he  has 
played  any  of  his  cards,1  the  deal  stands  good  ; 
should  he  have  played,  he  is  as  answerable  for 
any  revoke  he  may  have  made  as  if  the  missing 
card,  or  cards,  had  been  in  his  hand  ; 2 he  may 
search  the  other  pack  for  it,  or  them. 

47.  If  a pack,  during  or  after  a game  [rubber], 
be  proved  incorrect  or  imperfect,  such  proof  does 
not  alter  any  past  score,  or  game  [or  rubber]  ; 
that  hand  in  which  the  imperfection  was  detected 
is  null  and  void  ; the  dealer  deals  again. 

48.  Any  one  dealing  out  of  turn,  or  with  the 
adversary’s  cards,  may  be  stopped  before  the 
trump  card  is  turned  up,  after  which  the  game 
must  proceed  as  if  no  mistake  had  been  made. 

49.  A player  can  neither  shuffle,  cut,  nor  deal 
for  his  partner,  without  the  permission  of  his  op- 
ponents. 

50.  If  the  adversaries  interrupt  a dealer  whilst 
dealing,  either  by  questioning  the  score  or  assert- 
ing that  it  is  not  his  deal,  and  fail  to  establish 
such  claim,  should  a misdeal  occur,  he  may  deal 
again. 

51.  Should  a player  take  his  partner’s  deal,  and 
misdeal,  the  latter  is  liable  to  the  usual  penalty, 
and  the  adversary  next  in  rotation  to  the  player 
who  ought  to  have  dealt  then  deals. 


1 /.<?.,  until  after  he  has  played  to  the  first  trick. 
3 Vide  also  Law  70,  and  Law  44,  paragraph  iv. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


I3 


THE  TRUMP  CARD. 

52.  The  dealer,  when  it  is  his  turn  to  play  to 
the  first  trick,  should  take  the  trump  card  into 
his  hand  ; if  left  on  the  table  after  the  first  trick 
be  turned  and  quitted,  it  is  liable  to  be  called  ; 1 
his  partner  may  at  any  time  remind  him  of  the 
liability. 

53.  After  the  dealer  has  taken  the  trump  card 
into  his  hand,  it  cannot  be  asked  for  ;2  a player 
naming  it  at  any  time  during  the  play  of  that 
hand  is  liable  to  have  his  highest  or  lowest 
trump  called.3 

54.  If  the  dealer  take  the  trump  card  into  his 
hand  before  it  is  his  turn  to  play,  he  may  be 
desired  to  lay  it  on  the  table  ; should  he  show 
a wrong  card,  this  card  may  be  called,  as  also 
a second,  a third,  etc.,  until  the  trump  card  be 
produced. 

55.  If  the  dealer  declare  himself  unable  to 
recollect  the  trump  card,  his  highest  or  lowest 
trump  may  be  called  at  any  time  during  that 
hand,  and,  unless  it  cause  him  to  revoke,  must 
be  played  ; the  call  may  be  repeated,  but  not 
changed,  i.e.,  from  highest  to  lowest,  or  vice  versa, 
until  such  card  is  played. 


1 It  is  not  usual  to  call  the  trump  card  if  left  on  the  table. 

2 Any  one  may  inquire  what  the  trump  suit  is,  at  any  time. 

* In  the  manner  described  in  Law  55. 


14 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


CARDS  LIABLE  TO  BE  CALLED. 

56.  All  exposed  cards  are  liable  to  be  called, 
and  must  be  left 1 on  the  table  ; but  a card  is 
not  an  exposed  card  when  dropped  on  the  floor, 
or  elsewhere  below  the  table. 

The  following  are  exposed2  cards  : — 

I.  Two  or  more  cards  played  at  once.3 

II.  Any  card  dropped  with  its  face  upwards,  or 

in  any  way  exposed  on  or  above  the  table, 
even  though  snatched  up  so  quickly  that  no 
one  can  name  it. 

57.  If  any  one  play  to  an  imperfect  trick  the 
best  card  on  the  table,4  or  lead  one  which  is  a 
winning  card  as  against  his  adversaries,  and  then 
lead  again,5  or  play  several  such  winning  cards, 
one  after  the  other,  without  waiting  for  his  partner 
to  play,  the  latter  may  be  called  on  to  win,  if  he 
can,  the  first  or  any  other  of  those  tricks,  and 
the  other  cards  thus  improperly  played  are  ex- 
posed cards. 

58.  If  a player,  or  players,  under  the  impres- 
sion that  the  game  is  lost — or  won — or  for  other 

1 Face  upwards. 

2 Detached  cards  (/.<?.,  cards  taken  out  of  the  hand  but  not  dropped 
face  upwards  on  the  table,  or  dropped  face  downwards  on  the  table),  are 
only  liable  to  be  called,  if  named  ; vide  Law  60. 

3 If  two  or  more  cards  are  played  at  once,  the  adversaries  have  a 
right  to  call  which  they  please  to  the  trick  in  course  of  play,  and 
afterwards  to  call  the  others. 

4 And  then  lead  without  waiting  for  his  partner  to  play. 

6 Without  waiting  for  his  partner  to  play. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


*5 


reasons — throw  his  or  their  cards  on  the  table 
face  upwards,  such  cards  are  exposed,  and  liable 
to  be  called,  each  player’s  by  the  adversary  ; but 
should  one  player  alone  retain  his  hand,  he  can- 
not be  forced  to  abandon  it. 

59.  If  all  four  players  throw  their  cards  on  the 
table  face  upwards,  the  hands  are  abandoned  ; 
and  no  one  can  again  take  up  his  cards.  Should 
this  general  exhibition  show  that  the  game  might 
have  been  saved,  or  won,  neither  claim  can  be 
entertained,  unless  a revoke  be  established.  The 
revoking  players  are  then  liable  to  the  following 
penalties  : they  cannot  under  any  circumstances 
win  the  game  by  the  result  of  that  hand,  and  the 
adversaries  may  add  three  to  their  score,  or  de- 
duct three  from  that  of  the  revoking  players. 

60.  A card  detached  from  the  rest  of  the  hand 
so  as  to  be  named  is  liable  to  be  called  ; but 
should  the  adversary  name  a wrong  card,  he  is 
liable  to  have  a suit  called  when  he  or  his  part- 
ner have  the  lead.1 

61.  If  a player,  who  has  rendered  himself  lia- 
ble to  have  the  highest  or  lowest  of  a suit  called, 
fail  to  play  as  desired,  or  if  when  called  on  to 
lead  one  suit,  lead  another,  having  in  his  hand 
one  or  more  cards  of  that  suit  demanded,  he  in- 
curs the  penalty  of  a revoke. 


1 i.e .,  the  first  time  that  side  obtains  the  lead. 


1 6 THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


62.  If  any  player  lead  out  of  turn,  his  adversa- 
ries may  either  call  the  card  erroneously  led — or 
may  call  a suit  from  him  or  his  partner  when  it 
is  next  the  turn  of  either  of  them1  to  lead. 

63.  If  any  player  lead  out  of  turn,  and  the 
other  three  have  followed  him,  the  trick  is  com- 
plete, and  the  error  cannot  be  rectified  ; but  if 
only  the  second,  or  the  second  and  third,  have 
played  to  the  false  lead,  their  cards,  on  discovery 
of  the  mistake,  are  taken  back  ; there  is  no  pen- 
alty against  any  one,  excepting  the  original  of- 
fender, whose  card  may  be  called — or  he,  or  his 
partner,  when  either  of  them2  has  next  the  lead, 
may  be  compelled  to  play  any  suit  demanded  by 
the  adversaries. 

64.  In  no  case  can  a player  be  compelled  to 
play  a card  which  would  oblige  him  to  revoke. 

65.  The  call  of  a card  may  be  repeated3  until 
such  card  has  been  played. 

66.  If  a player  called  on  to  lead  a suit  have 
none  of  it,  the  penalty  is  paid. 


1  z.e.y  the  penalty  of  calling  a suit  must  be  exacted  from  whichever  of 
them  next  first  obtains  the  lead.  It  follows  that  if  the  player  who  leads 
out  of  turn  is  the  partner  of  the  person  who  ought  to  have  led,  and  a 
suit  is  called,  it  must  be  called  at  once  from  the  right  leader.  If  he  is 
allowed  to  play  as  he  pleases,  the  only  penalty  that  remains  is  to  call  the 
card  erroneously  led. 

2 z.e .,  whichever  of  them  next  first  has  the  lead. 

3 At  every  trick. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


17 


CARDS  PLAYED  IN  ERROR,  OR  NOT 
PLAYED  TO  A TRSCK. 

67.  If  the  third  hand  play  before  the  second, 
the  fourth  hand  may  play  before  his  partner. 

68.  Should  the  third  hand  not  have  played, 
and  the  fourth  play  before  his  partner,  the  latter 
may  be  called  on  to  win,  or  not  to  win  the  trick. 

69.  If  any  one  omit  playing  to  a former  trick, 
and  such  error  be  not  discovered  until  he  has 
played  to  the  next,  the  adversaries  may  claim  a 
new  deal ; should  they  decide  that  the  deal  stand 
good,  the  surplus  card  at  the  end  of  the  hand  is 
considered  to  have  been  played  to  the  imperfect 
trick,  but  does  not  constitute  a revoke  therein. 

70.  If  any  one  play  two  cards  to  the  same 
trick,  or  mix  his  trump,  or  other  card,  with  a 
trick  to  which  it  does  not  properly  belong,  and 
the  mistake  be  not  discovered  until  the  hand  is 
played  out,  he  is  answerable  for  all  consequent 
revokes  he  may  have  made.1  If,  during  the  play 
of  the  hand,  the  error  be  detected,  the  tricks 
may  be  counted  face  downwards,  in  order  to 
ascertain  whether  there  be  among  them  a card 
too  many  : should  this  be  the  case  they  may  be 
searched,  and  the  card  restored  ; the  player  is, 
however,  liable  for  all  revokes  which  he  may 
have  meanwhile  made. 


1 Vide  also  Law  46. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


THE  REVOKE. 

71.  Is  when  a player,  holding  one  or  more 
cards  of  the  suit  led,  plays  a card  of  a different 
suit.1 

72.  The  penalty  for  a revoke  : — 

I.  Is  at  the  option  of  the  adversaries,  who,  at  the 
end  of  the  hand,  may  either  take  three  tricks 
from  the  revoking  player2 — or  deduct  three 
points  from  his  score — or  add  three  to  their 
own  score  ; 

II.  Can  be  claimed  for  as  many  revokes  as  occur 
during  the  hand  ; 

III.  Is  applicable  only  to  the  score  of  the  game  in 

which  it  occurs  ; 

IV.  Cannot  be  divided,  i.e.,  a player  cannot  add 

one  or  two  to  his  own  score  and  deduct  one 
or  two  from  the  revoking  player  ; 

V.  Takes  precedence  of  every  other  score,  e.g., — 
The  claimants  two — their  opponents  nothing 
— the  former  add  three  to  their  score — and 
thereby  win  a treble  game,  even  should  the 
latter  have  made  thirteen  tricks,  [and  held 
four  honours] . 

73.  A revoke  is  established,  if  the  trick  in  which 
it  occur  be  turned  and  quitted,  i.e.y  the  hand  re- 
moved from  that  trick  after  it  has  been  turned 
face  downwards  on  the  table — or  if  either  the 
revoking  player  or  his  partner,  whether  in  his 
right  turn  or  otherwise,  lead  or  play  to  the  fol- 
lowing trick. 

1 Vide  also  Law  61. 
a And  add  them  to  their  own. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


J9 


74.  A player  may  ask  his  partner  whether  he 
has  not  a card  of  the  suit  which  he  has  re- 
nounced ; should  the  question  be  asked  before 
the  trick  is  turned  and  quitted,  subsequent  turn- 
ing and  quitting  does  not  establish  the  revoke, 
and  the  error  may  be  corrected,  unless  the  ques- 
tion be  answered  in  the  negative,  or  unless  the 
revoking  player  or  his  partner  have  led  or  played 
to  the  following  trick. 

75.  At  the  end  of  the  hand,  the  claimants  of  a 
revoke  may  search  all  the  tricks.1 

76.  If  a player  discover  his  mistake  in  time  to 
save  a revoke,  the  adversaries,  whenever  they 
think  fit,  may  call  the  card  thus  played  in  error, 
or  may  require  him  to  play  his  highest  or  lowest 
card  to  that  trick  in  which  he  has  renounced  ; — 
any  player  or  players  who  have  played  after  him 
may  withdraw  their  cards  and  substitute  others  : 
the  cards  withdrawn  are  not  liable  to  be  called. 

77.  If  a revoke  be  claimed,  and  the  accused 
player  or  his  partner  mix  the  cards  before  they 
have  been  sufficiently  examined  by  the  adversa- 
ries, the  revoke  is  established.  The  mixing  of 
the  cards  only  renders  the  proof  of  a revoke  dif- 
ficult, but  does  not  prevent  the  claim,  and  pos- 
sible establishment,  of  the  penalty. 

78.  A revoke  cannot  be  claimed  after  the  cards 
have  been  cut  for  the  following  deal. 

1 Vide  Law  77. 


1 


20 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


79.  The  revoking  player  and  his  partner  may, 
under  all  circumstances,  require  the  hand  in 
which  the  revoke  has  been  detected  to  be  played 
out. 

86.  If  a revoke  occur,  be  claimed  and  proved, 
bets  on  the  odd  trick,  or  on  amount  of  score, 
must  be  decided  by  the  actual  state  of  the  latter, 
after  the  penalty  is  paid. 

81.  Should  the  players  on  both  sides  subject 
themselves  to  the  penalty  of  one  or  more  re- 
vokes, neither  can  win  the  game  ; each  is  pun- 
ished at  the  discretion  of  his  adversary.1 

82.  In  whatever  way  the  penalty  be  enforced, 
under  no  circumstances  can  a player  win  the 
game  by  the  result  of  the  hand  during  which  he 
has  revoked  ; he  cannot  score  more  than  four. 
( Vide  Rule  61.) 

CALLING  FOR  NEW  CARDS. 

83.  Any  player  (on  paying  for  them)  before, 
but  not  after,  the  pack  be  cut  for  the  deal,  may 
call  for  fresh  cards.  He  must  call  for  two  new 
packs,  of  which  the  dealer  takes  his  choice. 

GENERAL  RULES. 

84.  Where  a player  and  his  partner  have  an 
option  of  exacting  from  their  adversaries  one 
of  two  penalties,  they  should  agree  who  is  to 
make  the  election,  but  must  not  consult  with 


1 In  the  manner  prescribed  in  Law  72. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


21 


one  another  which  of  the  two  penalties  it  is  ad- 
visable to  exact  ; if  they  do  so  consult  they  lose 
their  right  and  if  either  of  them,  with  or  with- 
out consent  of  his  partner,  demand  a penalty  to 
which  he  is  entitled,  such  decision  is  final. 

This  rule  does  not  apply  in  exacting  the  penalties  for  a re- 
voke ; partners  have  then  a right  to  consult. 

85.  Any  one  during  the  play  of  a trick,  or 
after  the  four  cards  are  played,  and  before,  but 
not  after,  they  are  touched  for  the  purpose  of 
gathering  them  together,  may  demand  that  the 
cards  be  placed  before  their  respective  players. 

86.  If  any  one,  prior  to  his  partner  playing, 
should  call  attention  to  the  trick — either  by 
saying  that  it  is  his,  or  by  naming  his  card,  or, 
without  being  required  so  to  do,  by  drawing  it 
towards  him — the  adversaries  may  require  that 
opponent’s  partner  to  play  the  highest  or  lowest 
of  the  suit  then  led,  or  to  win  or  lose2  the  trick. 

87.  In  all  cases  where  a penalty  has  been  in- 
curred, the  offender  is  bound  to  give  reasonable 
time  for  the  decision  of  his  adversaries. 

88.  If  a bystander  make  any  remark  which 
calls  the  attention  of  a player  or  players  to  an 
oversight  affecting  the  score,  he  is  liable  to  be 
called  on,  by  the  players  only,  to  pay  the  stakes 
and  all  bets  on  that  game  [or  rubber]. 


1 To  demand  any  penalty. 

2 i.e refrain  from  winning. 


22 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


89.  A bystander,  by  agreement  among  the 
players,  may  decide  any  question. 

90.  A card  or  cards  torn  or  marked  must  be 
either  replaced  by  agreement,  or  new  cards  called 
at  the  expense  of  the  table. 

91.  Any  player  may  demand  to  see  the  last 
trick  turned,  and  no  more.  Under  no  circum- 
stances can  more  than  eight  cards  be  seen  during 
the  play  of  the  hand,  viz.  : the  four  cards  on  the 
table  which  have  not  been  turned  and  quitted, 
and  the  last  trick  turned. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


23 


ETIQUETTE  OF  WHIST. 

ENGLISH  CODE. 


The  following  rules  belong  to  the  established 
Etiquette  of  Whist.  They  are  not  called  laws, 
as  it  is  difficult— in  some  cases  impossible — to 
apply  any  penalty  to  their  infraction,  and  the 
only  remedy  is  to  cease  to  play  with  players 
who  habitually  disregard  them. 

Two  packs  of  cards  are  invariably  used  at 
Clubs  : if  possible  this  should  be  adhered  to. 

Any  one,  having  the  lead  and  several  winning 
cards  to  play,  should  not  draw  a second  card 
out  of  his  hand  until  his  partner  has  played  to 
the  first  trick,  such  act  being  a distinct  intima- 
tion that  the  former  has  played  a winning  card. 

No  intimation  whatever,  by  word  or  gesture, 
should  be  given  by  a player  as  to  the  state  of 
his  hand,  or  of  the  game.1 

A player  who  desires  the  cards  to  be  placed, 
or  who  demands  to  see  the  last  trick,2  should  do 
it  for  his  own  information  only,  and  not  in  order 
to  invite  the  attention  of  his  partner. 

1 The  question  “ Who  dealt  ? ” is  irregular,  and  if  asked  should  not 
be  answered. 

2 Or  who  asks  what  the  trump  suit  is. 


24 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


No  player  should  object  to  refer  to  a bystander 
who  professes  himself  uninterested  in  the  game, 
and  able  to  decide  any  disputed  question  of 
facts  ; as  to  who  played  any  particular  card — 
[whether  honours  were  claimed  though  not 
scored,  or  vice  versa ] — etc.,  etc. 

It  is  unfair  to  revoke  purposely  ; having  made 
a revoke,  a player  is  not  justified  in  making  a 
second  in  order  to  conceal  the  first. 

Until  the  players  have  made  such  bets  as  they 
wish,  bets  should  not  be  made  with  bystanders. 

Bystanders  should  make  no  remark,  neither 
should  they  by  word  or  gesture  give  any  in- 
timation of  the  state  of  the  game  until  concluded 
and  scored,  nor  should  they  walk  round  the 
table  to  look  at  the  different  hands. 

No  one  should  look  over  the  hand  of  a player 
against  whom  he  is  betting. 


DUMMY 

Is  played  by  three  players. 

One  hand,  called  Dummy’s,  lies  exposed  on 
the  table. 

The  laws  are  the  same  as  those  of  Whist,  with 
the  following  exceptions  : — 

I.  Dummy  deals  at  the  commencement  [of  each 
rubber]. 

II.  Dummy  is  not  liable  to  the  penalty  for  a re- 
voke, as  his  adversaries  see  his  cards  : 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


25 


should  he  1 revoke  and  the  error  not  be  dis- 
covered until  the  trick  is  turned  and  quitted, 
it  stands  good.2 

III.  Dummy  being  blind  and  deaf,  his  partner  is  not 
liable  to  any  penalty  for  an  error  whence  he 
can  gain  no  advantage.  Thus,  he  may  ex- 
pose some,  or  all  of  his  cards,  or  may  declare 
that  he  has  the  game,  or  trick,  etc.,  without 
incurring  any  penalty  ; if,  however,  he  lead 
from  Dummy’s  hand  when  he  should  lead 
from  his  own,  or  vise  versa , a suit  may  be 
called  from  the  hand  which  ought  to  have 
led. 


DOUBLE  DUMMY 

Is  played  by  two  players,  each  having  a Dummy 
or  exposed  hand  for  his  partner.  The  laws  of 
the  game  do  not  differ  from  Dummy  Whist,  ex- 
cept in  the  following  special  law  : There  is  no 
misdeal,  as  the  deal  is  a disadvantage. 

1 i.e Dummy’s  hand.  If  Dummy’s  partner  revokes,  he  is  liable  to 
the  usual  penalties. 

2 And  the  hand  proceeds  as  though  the  revoke  had  not  been  dis- 
covered. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 

LEAGUE  CODE. 

THE  GAME. 

1.  A game  consists  of  seven  points,  each  trick 
above  six  counting  one.  The  value  of  the  game 
is  determined  by  deducting  the  losers’  score 
from  seven. 

FORMING  THE  TABLE. 

2.  Those  first  in  the  room  have  the  preference. 
If,  by  reason  of  two  or  more  arriving  at  the  same 
time,  more  than  four  assemble,  the  preference 
among  the  last  comers  is  determined  by  cutting, 
a lower  cut  giving  the  preference  over  all  cutting 
higher.  A complete  table  consists  of  six  ; the 
four  having  the  preference  play.  Partners  are 
determined  by  cutting  ; the  highest  two  play 
against  the  lowest  two  ; the  lowest  deals  and 
has  the  choice  of  seats  and  cards. 

3.  If  two  players  cut  intermediate  cards  of 
equal  value,  they  cut  again  ; the  lower  of  the 
new  cut  plays  with  the  original  lowest. 

4.  If  three  players  cut  cards  of  equal  value, 
they  cut  again.  If  the  fourth  has  cut  the  highest 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


27 


card,  the  lowest  two  of  the  new  cut  are  partners 
and  the  lowest  deals.  If  the  fourth  has  cut  the 
lowest  card,  he  deals  and  the  highest  two  of  the 
new  cut  are  partners. 

5.  At  the  end  of  a game,  if  there  are  more  than 
four  belonging  to  the  table,  a sufficient  number 
of  the  players  retire  to  admit  those  awaiting 
their  turn  to  play.  In  determining  which  play- 
ers remain  in,  those  who  have  played  a less  num- 
ber of  consecutive  games  have  the  preference 
over  all  who  have  played  a greater  number  ; be- 
tween two  or  more  who  have  played  an  equal 
number,  the  preference  is  determined  by  cutting, 
a lower  cut  giving  the  preference  overall  cutting 
higher. 

6.  To  entitle  one  to  enter  a table,  he  must 
declare  his  intention  to  do  so  before  any  one  of 
the  players  has  cut  for  the  purpose  of  commenc- 
ing a new  game  or  of  cutting  out. 

CUTTING. 

7.  In  cutting,  the  ace  is  the  lowest  card.  All 
must  cut  from  the  same  pack.  If  a player  ex- 
poses more  than  one  card,  he  must  cut  again. 
Drawing  cards  from  the  outspread  pack  may  be 
resorted  to  in  place  of  cutting. 

SHUFFLING. 

8.  Before  every  deal,  the  cards  must  be  shuf- 
fled. When  two  packs  are  used,  the  dealer’s 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


partner  must  collect  and  shuffle  the  cards  for 
the  ensuing  deal  and  place  them  at  his  right 
hand.  In  all  cases  the  dealer  may  shuffle  last. 

9.  A pack  must  not  be  shuffled  during  the 
play  of  a hand,  nor  so  as  to  expose  the  face  of 
any  card. 

CUTTING  TO  THE  DEALER. 

10.  The  dealer  must  present  the  pack  to  his 
right  hand  adversary  to  be  cut ; the  adversary 
must  take  a portion  from  the  top  of  the  pack  and 
place  it  towards  the  dealer  ; at  least  four  cards 
must  be  left  in  each  packet  ; the  dealer  must 
reunite  the  packets  by  placing  the  one  not  re- 
moved in  cutting  upon  the  other. 

11.  If,  in  cutting  or  in  reuniting  the  separate 
packets,  a card  is  exposed,  the  pack  must  be 
reshuffled  by  the  dealer  and  cut  again  ; if  there 
is  any  confusion  of  the  cards  or  doubt  as  to  the 
place  where  the  pack  was  separated,  there  must 
be  a new  cut. 

12.  If  the  dealer  reshuffles  the  pack  after  it 
has  been  properly  cut,  he  loses  his  deal. 

DEALING. 

13.  When  the  pack  has  been  properly  cut  and 
reunited,  the  dealer  must  distribute  the  cards, 
one  at  a time,  to  each  player  in  regular  rotation, 
beginning  at  his  left.  The  last,  which  is  the 
trump  card,  must  be  turned  up  before  the  dealer. 
At  the  end  of  the  hand  or  when  the  deal  is  lost, 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


29 


the  deal  passes  to  the  player  next  to  the  dealer 
on  his  left,  and  so  on  to  each  in  turn. 

14.  There  must  be  a new  deal  by  the  same 
dealer  : — 

I.  If  any  card  except  the  last  is  faced  in  the  pack. 

II.  If,  during  the  deal  or  during  the  play  of  the 
hand,  the  pack  is  proved  incorrect  or  imper- 
fect ; but  any  prior  score  made  with  that  pack 
shall  stand. 

15.  If,  during  the  deal,  a card  is  exposed,  the 
side  not  in  fault  may  demand  a new  deal,  pro- 
vided neither  of  that  side  has  touched  a card.  If 
a new  deal  does  not  take  place,  the  exposed 
card  is  not  liable  to  be  called. 

1 6.  Any  one  dealing  out  of  turn  or  with  his 
adversaries’  pack  may  be  stopped  before  the 
trump  card  is  turned,  after  which,  the  deal  is 
valid  and  the  packs,  if  changed,  so  remain. 

MISDEALING. 

17.  It  is  a misdeal  : — 

I.  If  the  dealer  omits  to  have  the  pack  cut  and  his 
adversaries  discover  the  error  before  the  trump 
card  is  turned  and  before  looking  at  any  of 
their  cards. 

II.  If  he  deals  a card  incorrectly  and  fails  to  correct 
the  error  before  dealing  another. 

III.  If  he  counts  the  cards  on  the  table  or  in  the  re- 
mainder of  the  pack. 


30  THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 

IV.  If,  having  a perfect  pack,  he  does  not  deal  to 
each  player  the  proper  number  of  cards  and 
the  error  is  discovered  before  all  have  played 
to  the  first  trick. 

V.  If  he  looks  at  the  trump  card  before  the  deal  is 
completed. 

VI.  If  he  places  the  trump  card  face  downwards  upon 
his  own  or  any  other  player’s  cards. 

A misdeal  loses  the  deal,  unless,  during  the 
deal,  either  of  the  adversaries  touches  a card  or 
in  any  other  manner  interrupts  the  dealer. 

THE  TRUMP  CARD. 

18.  The  dealer  must  leave  the  trump  card  face 
upwards  on  the  table  until  it  is  his  turn  to  play 
to  the  first  trick  ; if  it  is  left  on  the  table  until 
after  the  second  trick  has  been  turned  and 
quitted,  it  is  liable  to  be  called.  After  it  has 
been  lawfully  taken  up,  it  must  not  be  named 
and  any  player  naming  it  is  liable  to  have  his 
highest  or  his  lowest  trump  called  by  either  ad- 
versary. A player  may,  however,  ask  what  the 
trump  suit  is. 

IRREGULARITIES  IN  THE  HANDS. 

19.  If  at  any  time  after  all  have  played  to 
the  first  trick,  the  pack  being  perfect,  a player  is 
found  to  have  either  more  or  less  than  his  cor- 
rect number  of  cards  and  his  adversaries  have 
their  right  number,  the  latter,  upon  the  discov- 
ery of  such  surplus  or  deficiency,  may  consult 
and  shall  have  the  choice  : 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


31 


I.  To  have  a new  deal  ; or 

II.  To  have  the  hand  played  out,  in  which  case  the 
surplus  or  missing  card  or  cards  are  not  taken 
into  account. 

If  either  of  the  adversaries  also  has  more  or 
less  than  his  correct  number,  there  must  be  a 
new  deal. 

If  any  player  has  a surplus  card  by  reason  of 
an  omission  to  play  to  a trick,  his  adversaries 
can  exercise  the  foregoing  privilege  only  after 
he  has  played  to  the  trick  following  the  one  in 
which  such  omission  occurred. 

CARDS  LIABLE  TO  BE  CALLED. 

20.  The  following  cards  are  liable  to  be  called 
by  either  adversary  : 

I.  Every  card  faced  upon  the  table  otherwise  than 
in  the  regular  course  of  play,  but  not  includ- 
ing  a card  led  out  of  turn. 

II.  Every  card  thrown  with  the  one  led  or  played  to 
the  current  trick.  The  player  must  indicate 
the  one  led  or  played. 

III.  Every  card  so  held  by  a player  that  his  partner 
sees  any  portion  of  its  face. 

IV.  All  the  cards  in  a hand  lowered  or  shown  by  a 

player  so  that  his  partner  sees  more  than  one 
card  of  it. 

V.  Every  card,  named  by  the  player  holding  it. 

21.  All  cards  liable  to  be  called  must  be  placed 
and  left  face  upwards  on  the  table.  A player 
must  lead  or  play  them  when  they  are  called,  pro- 


32 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST0 


vided  he  can  do  so  without  revoking.  The  call  # 
may  be  repeated  at  each  trick  until  the  card  is 
played.  A player  cannot  be  prevented  from 
leading  or  playing  a card  liable  to  be  called  ; if 
he  can  get  rid  of  it  in  the  course  of  play,  no 
penalty  remains. 

22.  If  a player  leads  a card  better  than  any 
his  adversaries  hold  of  the  suit,  and  then  leads 
one  or  more  other  cards  without  waiting  for  his 
partner  to  play,  the  latter  may  be  called  upon  by 
either  adversary  to  take  the  first  trick,  and  the 
other  cards  thus  improperly  played  are  liable  to 
be  called  ; it  makes  no  difference  whether  he 
plays  them  one  after  the  other,  or  throws  them 
all  on  the  table  together,  after  the  first  card  is 
played,  the  others  are  liable  to  be  called. 

23.  A player  having  a card  liable  to  be  called 
must  not  play  another  until  the  adversaries  have 
stated  whether  or  not  they  wish  to  call  the  card 
liable  to  the  penalty.  If  he  plays  another  card 
without  awaiting  the  decision  of  the  adversaries, 
such  other  card  also  is  liable  to  be  called. 

LEADING  OUT  OF  TURN. 

24.  If  any  player  leads  out  of  turn,  a suit  may 
be  called  from  him  or  his  partner  the  first  time 
it  is  the  turn  of  either  of  them  to  lead.  The 
penalty  can  be  enforced  only  by  the  adversary 
on  the  right  of  the  player  from  whom  a suit  can 
lawfully  be  called. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


33 


If  a player,  so  called  on  to  lead  a suit,  has 
none  of  it,  or  if  all  have  played  to  the  false  lead, 
no  penalty  can  be  enforced.  If  all  have  not 
played  to  the  trick,  the  cards  erroneously  played 
to  such  false  lead  are  not  liable  to  be  called  and 
must  be  taken  back. 

PLAYING  OUT  OF  TURN. 

25.  If  the  third  hand  plays  before  the  second, 
the  fourth  hand  also  may  play  before  the  sec- 
ond. 

26.  If  the  third  hand  has  not  played,  and  the 
fourth  hand  plays  before  the  second,  the  latter 
may  be  called  upon  by  the  third  hand  to  play 
his  highest  or  lowest  card  of  the  suit  led  or,  if  he 
has  none,  to  trump  or  not  to  trump  the  trick. 

ABANDONED  HANDS. 

27.  If  all  four  players  throw  their  cards  on 
the  table,  face  upwards,  no  further  play  of  that 
hand  is  permitted.  The  result  of  the  hand,  as 
then  claimed  or  admitted,  is  established,  pro- 
vided that,  if  a revoke  is  discovered,  the  revoke 
penalty  attaches. 

REVOKING. 

28.  A revoke  is  a renounce  in  error  not  cor- 
rected in  time.  A player  renounces  in  error, 
when,  holding  one  or  more  cards  of  the  suit  led, 
he  plays  a card  of  a different  suit. 

A renounce  in  error  may  be  corrected  by  the 
3 


34 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


player  making  it,  before  the  trick  in  which  it  oc- 
curs has  been  turned  and  quitted,  unless  either 
he  or  his  partner,  whether  in  his  right  turn  or 
otherwise,  has  led  or  played  to  the  following  trick, 
or  unless  his  partner  has  asked  whether  or  not  he 
has  any  of  the  suit  renounced. 

29.  If  a player  corrects  his  mistake  in  time  to 
save  a revoke,  the  card  improperly  played  by  him 
is  liable  to  be  called  ; any  player  or  players,  who 
have  played  after  him,  may  withdraw  their  cards 
and  substitute  others;  the  cards  so  withdrawn 
are  not  liable  to  be  called. 

30.  The  penalty  for  revoking  is  the  transfer  of 
two  tricks  from  the  revoking  side  to  their  adver- 
saries ; it  can  be  enforced  for  as  many  revokes  as 
occur  during  the  hand.  The  revoking  side  can- 
not win  the  game  in  that  hand  ; if  both  sides  re- 
voke, neither  can  win  the  game  in  that  hand. 

31.  The  revoking  player  and  his  partner  may 
require  the  hand,  in  which  the  revoke  has  been 
made,  to  be  played  out,  and  score  all  points  made 
by  them  up  to  the  score  of  six. 

32.  At  the  end  of  a hand,  the  claimants  of  a 
revoke  may  search  all  the  tricks.  If  the  cards 
have  been  mixed,  the  claim  may  be  urged  and 
proved,  if  possible  ; but  no  proof  is  necessary  and 
the  revoke  is  established,  if,  after  it  has  been 
claimed,  the  accused  player  or  his  partner  mixes 
the  cards  before  they  have  been  examined  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  adversaries. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


35 


33.  The  revoke  can  be  claimed  at  any  time  be- 
fore the  cards  have  been  presented  and  cut  for 
the  following  deal,  but  not  thereafter. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

34.  Any  one,  during  the  play  of  a trick  and 
before  the  cards  have  been  touched  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gathering  them  together,  may  demand 
that  the  players  draw  their  cards. 

35.  If  any  one,  prior  to  his  partner  playing, 
calls  attention  in  any  manner  to  the  trick  or  to 
the  score,  the  adversary  last  to  play  to  the  trick 
may  require  the  offender’s  partner  to  play  his 
highest  or  lowest  of  the  suit  led,  or,  if  he  has 
none,  to  trump  or  not  to  trump  the  trick. 

36.  If  any  player  says  “ I can  win  the  rest,” 
“ The  rest  are  ours,”  “ We  have  the  game,”  or 
words  to  that  effect,  his  partner’s  cards  must  be 
laid  upon  the  table  and  are  liable  to  be  called. 

37.  When  a trick  has  been  turned  and  quitted, 
it  must  not  again  be  seen  until  after  the  hand  has 
been  played.  A violation  of  this  law  subjects 
the  offender’s  side  to  the  same  penalty  as  in  case 
of  a lead  out  of  turn. 

38.  If  a player  is  lawfully  called  upon  to  play 
the  highest  or  lowest  of  a suit,  or  to  trump  or 
not  to  trump  a trick,  or  to  lead  a suit,  and  un- 
necessarily fails  to  comply,  he  is  liable  to  the 
same  penalty  as  if  he  had  revoked. 


36 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


39.  In  all  cases  where  a penalty  has  been  in- 
curred, the  offender  must  await  the  decision  of 
the  adversaries  If  either  of  them,  with  or  with- 
out his  partner’s  consent,  demands  a penalty,  to 
which  they  are  entitled,  such  decision  is  final.  If 
the  wrong  adversary  demands  a penalty  or  a 
wrong  penalty  is  demanded,  none  can  be  en- 
forced. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


37 


ETIQUETTE  OF  WHIST. 

LEAGUE  CODE. 


The  following  rules  belong  to  the  established 
code  of  whist  etiquette.  They  are  formulated 
with  a view  to  discourage  and  repress  certain 
improprieties  of  conduct,  therein  pointed  out, 
which  are  not  reached  by  the  laws.  The  courtesy 
which  marks  the  intercourse  of  gentlemen  will 
regulate  other  more  obvious  cases. 

I.  No  conversation  should  be  indulged  in  during  the 
play  except  such  as  is  allowed  by  the  laws  of 
the  game. 

II.  No  player  should  in  any  manner  whatsoever  give 
any  intimation  as  to  the  state  of  his  hand  or 
of  the  game,  or  of  approval  or  disapproval  of 
a play. 

III.  No  player  should  lead  until  the  preceding  trick  is 
turned  and  quitted. 

IV.  No  player  should,  after  having  led  a winning 
card,  draw  a card  from  his  hand  for  another 
lead  until  his  partner  has  played  to  the  current 
trick. 

V.  No  player  should  play  a card  in  any  manner  so 
as  to  call  particular  attention  to  it,  nor  should 
he  demand  that  the  cards  be  placed  in  order 
to  attract  the  attention  of  his  partner. 


38 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


VI.  No  player  should  purposely  incur  a penalty  be- 
cause he  is  willing  to  pay  it,  nor  should  he 
make  a second  revoke  in  order  to  conceal  one 
previously  made. 

VII.  No  player  should  take  advantage  of  information 
imparted  by  his  partner  through  a breach  of 
etiquette. 

VIII.  No  player  should  object  to  referring  a disputed 
question  of  fact  to  a bystander  who  professes 
himself  uninterested  in  the  result  of  the  game 
and  able  to  decide  the  question. 

IX.  Bystanders  should  not  in  any  manner  call  atten- 
tion to  or  give  any  intimation  concerning  the 
play  or  the  state  of  the  game,  during  the  play 
of  a hand.  They  should  not  look  over  the 
hand  of  a player  without  his  permission  ; nor 
should  they  walk  around  the  table  to  look  at 
the  different  hands. 


The  Laws  of  Duplicate  Whist 

Adopted  July,  1898. 


LAW  I.  DEFINITIONS. 

Section  r.  The  words  and  phrases  used  in  these  laws 
shall  be  construed  in  accordance  with  the  following  definitions, 
unless  such  construction  is  inconsistent  with  the  context  : 

(A)  The  thirteen  cards  received  by  any  one  player  are 
termed  a “hand.” 

(B)  The  four  hands  into  which  a pack  is  distributed  for 
play  are  termed  a “ deal  ” ; the  same  term  is  also  used  to  des- 
ignate the  act  of  distributing  the  cards  to  the  players. 

(C)  A “tray  ” is  a device  for  retaining  the  hands  of  a deal 
and  indicating  the  order  of  playing  them. 

(D)  The  player  who  is  entitled  to  the  trump  card  is  termed 
the  “ dealer,”  whether  the  cards  have  or  have  not  been  dealt 
by  him. 

(E)  The  first  play  of  a deal  is  termed  “ the  original  play  ” ; 
the  second  or  any  subsequent  play  of  such  deal,  the  ‘ ‘ over- 
play.” 

(F)  “ Duplicate  Whist  ” is  that  form  of  the  game  of  whist 
in  which  each  deal  is  played  once  only  by  each  player,  but  in 
which  each  is  so  overplayed  as  to  bring  the  play  of  teams, 
pairs,  or  individuals  into  comparison. 

(G)  A player  “renounces”  when  he  does  not  follow  suit 
to  the  card  led;  he  “renounces  in  error  ” when,  although 
holding  one  or  more  cards  of  the  suit  led,  he  plays  a card  of  a 
different  suit ; if  such  renounce  in  error  is  not  lawfully  cor- 
rected, it  constitutes  a “revoke.” 

(H)  A trick  is  “turned  and  quitted  ” when  all  four  players 
have  turned  and  quitted  their  respective  cards. 


40 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


LAW  2.  FORMATION  OF  TEAMS  AND 
ARRANGEMENT  OF  PLAYERS. 

Sec.  i.  The  contesting  teams  must  each  consist  of  the  same 
number  of  players.  They  may  be  formed  and  seated  at  tables 
as  determined  by  agreement,  lot,  or  otherwise,  and  the  posi- 
tions of  the  players  at  the  table  shall  be  designated  as 
“North,”  “East,”  “South,”  and  “West.” 

LAW  3.  SHUFFLING. 

Sec.  I.  Before  the  cards  are  dealt  they  must  be  shuffled  in 
the  presence  of  an  adversary  or  the  umpire.  Each  player  has 
the  right  to  shuffle  them  once  before  each  deal,  each  new  deal, 
and  each  new  cut.  In  all  cases  the  dealer  may  shuffle  last. 

Sec.  2.  The  pack  must  not  be  so  shuffled  as  to  expose  the 
face  of  any  card,  and  if  a card  is  so  exposed  each  of  the  play- 
ers has  the  right  to  reshuffle  the  pack. 

LAW  4.  CUTTING  FOR  THE  TRUMP. 

Sec.  I.  The  dealer  must  present  the  cards  to  his  right  hand 
adversary  to  be  cut ; such  adversary  must  take  from  the  top  of 
the  pack  at  least  four  cards  and  place  them  toward  the  dealer, 
leaving  at  least  four  cards  in  the  remaining  packet ; the  dealer 
must  reunite  the  packets  by  placing  the  one  not  removed  in 
cutting  upon  the  other.  If,  in  cutting  or  reuniting  the  sepa- 
rate packets,  a card  is  exposed,  the  pack  must  be  reshuffled 
and  cut  again ; if  there  is  any  confusion  of  the  cards  or  doubt 
as  to  the  place  where  the  pack  was  separated,  there  must  be  a 
new  cut. 

LAW  5.  DEALING. 

Sec.  i.  When  the  pack  has  been  properly  cut  and  reunited, 
the  cards  must  be  dealt,  one  at  a time,  face  down,  from  the  top 
of  the  pack,  the  first  to  the  player  at  the  left  of  the  dealer,  and 
each  successive  card  to  the  player  at  the  left  of  the  one  to  whom 
the  last  preceding  card  has  been  dealt.  The  last,  which  is  the 
trump  card,  must  be  turned  and  placed  face  up  on  the  tray,  or, 
if  no  tray  is  used,  then  at  the  right  of  the  dealer. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


41 


Sec.  2.  There  must  be  a new  deal : — 

(A)  If  any  card  except  the  last  is  faced  or  exposed  in  any 
way  in  dealing. 

(B)  If  the  pack  is  proved  incorrect  or  imperfect. 

(C)  If  either  more  or  less  than  thirteen  cards  are  dealt  to 
any  player. 

(D)  If  the  dealer’s  hand  does  not  contain  the  trump  card. 

Sec.  3.  There  must  be  a new  deal  at  the  request  of  either 

player,  provided  such  request  is  made  by  him  before  he  has 
examined  his  cards  : — 

(A)  If  the  cards  are  dealt  by  any  person  other  than  the 
dealer. 

(B)  If  the  pack  has  not  been  properly  cut. 

(C)  If  a card  is  dealt  incorrectly  and  the  error  is  not  cor- 
rected before  another  card  is  dealt. 

(D)  If  the  trump  card  is  placed  face  down  upon  any  other 
card. 

LAW  6.  THE  TRUMP  CARD. 

Sec.  1.  The  trump  card  and  the  number  of  the  deal  must 
be  recorded  before  the  play  begins,  on  a slip  provided  for  that 
purpose,  and  must  not  be  elsewhere  recorded.  Such  slip 
must  be  shown  to  an  adversary,  then  turned  face  down  and 
placed  in  the  tray,  if  one  is  used. 

Sec.  2.  The  dealer  must  leave  the  trump  card  face  up  until 
the  first  trick  is  turned  and  quitted,  unless  it  is  played  to  such 
trick.  He  must  take  the  trump  card  into  his  hand  and  turn 
down  the  trump  slip  before  the  second  trick  is  turned  and 
quitted. 

Sec.  3.  When  a deal  is  taken  up  for  overplay,  the  dealer 
must  show  the  trump  slip  to  an  adversary,  and  thereafter  treat 
the  trump  slip  and  trump  card  as  in  the  case  of  an  original 
deal.  (See  Law  6,  Sec.  1.) 

Sec.  4.  After  the  trump  card  has  been  lawfully  taken  into 
the  hand,  and  the  trump  slip  turned  face  down,  the  trump  card 
must  not  be  named  nor  the  trump  slip  examined  during  the 
play  $f  the  deal ; a player  may,  however,  ask  what  the  trump 
suit  is. 

Sec.  5.  If  a player  unlawfully  looks  at  the  trump  slip,  his 
highest  or  lowest  trump  may  be  called  ; if  a player  unlawfully 
names  the  trump  card,  his  partner’s  highest  or  lowest  trump 
may  be  called. 


42 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


Sec.  6.  These  penalties  can  be  inflicted  by  either  adversary 
at  any  time  during  the  play  of  the  deal  in  which  they  are  in- 
curred before  the  player  from  whom  the  call  can  be  made  has 
played  to  the  current  trick;  the  call  may  be  repeated  at  each 
or  any  trick  until  the  card  is  played,  but  cannot  be  changed. 

Sec.  7.  When  a deal  has  been  played,  the  cards  of  the  re- 
spective players,  including  the  trump  card,  must  be  placed  in 
the  tray  face  down,  and  the  trump  slip  placed  face  up  on  top 
of  the  dealer’s  cards. 

Sec.  8.  If,  on  the  overplay  of  a deal,  a trump  card  is  turned 
other  than  the  one  recorded  on  the  trump  slip,  and  such  error 
is  discovered  and  corrected  before  the  play  of  the  deal  is  com- 
menced, the  card  turned  in  error  is  liable  to  be  called. 

Sec.  9.  If  such  error  is  not  corrected  until  after  the  over- 
play has  begun,  and  more  than  two  tables  are  engaged  in  play, 
the  offender  and  his  partner  shall  be  given  the  lowest  score 
made  with  their  hands  on  that  deal  at  any  table  ; if  less  than 
three  tables  are  engaged,  the  offender’s  adversaries  may  consult 
and  shall  have  the  option  either  to  score  the  deal  as  a tie  or  to 
have  the  pack  redealt,  and  such  new  deal  played  and  overplayed. 

Sec.  10.  Should  a player,  after  the  cards  are  dealt,  record 
on  the  trump  slip  a different  trump  from  the  one  turned  in 
dealing,  and  the  error  be  discovered  at  the  next  table,  there 
must  be  a new  deal ; if  the  deal  has  been  played  at  one  or  more 
tables  with  the  wrong  trump,  the  recorded  trump  must  be  taken 
as  correct,  and  the  pair  of  the  player  making  the  error  be  given 
the  lowest  score  for  that  deal.  If,  however,  less  than  three 
tables  are  in  play,  there  must  be  a new  deal. 

LAW  7.  IRREGULARITIES  IN  THE 
HANDS. 

Sec.  1.  In  case  a player  on  the  overplay  is  found  to  have 
either  more  or  less  than  his  correct  number  of  cards,  if  less 
than  three  tables  are  engaged  there  must  be  a new  deal ; but 
if  more  than  two  tables  are  in  play,  the  hands  must  be  rectified 
and  then  passed  to  the  next  table.  The  table  at  which  the  er- 
ror was  discovered  must  not  overplay  the  deal,  but  shall  take 
the  average  score. 

Sec.  2.  If,  after  the  first  trick  has  been  turned  and  quitted, 
a player  is  found  to  have  less  than  his  correct  number  of  cards, 
and  the  missing  card  or  cards  are  found  in  the  tray,  such 
player  and  his  partner  shall  be  given  the  lowest  score  on  that 
deal. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


43 


LAW  8.  PLAYING,  TURNING,  AND  QUIT- 
TING THE  CARDS. 

Sec.  i.  Each  player,-  when  it  is  his  turn  to  play,  must  place 
his  card  face  up  before  him  and  toward  the  centre  of  the  table, 
and  allow  it  to  remain  upon  the  table  in  this  position  until  all 
have  played  to  the  trick,  when  he  must  turn  it  over  and  place 
it  face  down  and  nearer  to  himself,  placing  each  successive 
card,  as  he  turns  it,  so  that  it  overlaps  the  last  card  played  by 
him  and  with  the  ends  toward  the  winners  of  the  trick.  After 
he  has  played  his  card  and  also  after  he  has  turned  it,  he  must 
quit  it  by  removing  his  hand. 

Sec.  2.  The  cards  must  be  left  in  the  order  in  which  they 
were  played  and  quitted  until  the  scores  for  the  deal  are  re- 
corded. 

Sec.  3.  During  the  play  of  a deal  a player  must  not  pick  up 
or  turn  another  player’s  cards. 

Sec.  4.  Before  a trick  is  turned  and  quitted  any  player  may 
require  any  of  the  other  players  to  show  the  face  of  the  card 
played  to  that  trick. 

Sec.  5.  If  a player  names  a card  of  a trick  which  has  been 
turned  and  quitted,  or  turns  or  raises  any  such  card  so  that 
any  such  portion  of  its  face  can  be  seen  by  himself  or  any  other 
player,  he  is  liable  to  the  same  penalty  as  if  he  had  led  out  of 
turn. 

LAW  9.  CARDS  LIABLE  TO  BE  CALLED. 

Sec.  I.  The  following  cards  are  liable  to  be  called  : — 

(A)  Every  card  so  placed  upon  the  table  as  to  expose  any 
of  the  printing  on  its  face,  except  such  cards  as  these  laws 
specifically  provide  shall  not  be  so  liable. 

(B)  Every  card  so  held  by  a player  that  his  partner  sees 
any  of  the  printing  on  its  face. 

(C)  Every  card  (except  the  trump  card)  named  by  the 
player  holding  it. 

(D)  The  trump  card,  if  it  is  not  taken  into  the  dealer’s 
hand,  and  the  trump  slip  turned  face  down  before  the  second 
trick  is  turned  and  quitted. 

Sec.  2.  If  a player  says,  “ I can  win  the  rest,”  “ The  rest 
are  ours,”  “ It  makes  no  difference  how  you  play,”  or  words 


44 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


to  that  effect,  his  partner’s  cards  must  be  laid  face  up  on  the 
table,  and  are  liable  to  be  called. 

Sec.  3.  All  cards  liable  to  be  called  must  be  placed  and 
left  until  played  face  up  on  the  table.  A player  must  lead  or 
play  them  when  lawfully  called,  provided  he  can  do  so  without 
revoking ; the  call  may  be  repeated  at  each  or  any  trick  until 
the  card  is  played.  A player  cannot,  however,  be  prevented 
from  leading  or  playing  a card  liable  to  be  called ; if  he  can 
get  rid  of  it  in  the  course  of  play,  no  penalty  remains. 

Sec.  4.  The  holder  of  a card  liable  to  be  called  can  be  re- 
quired to  play  it  only  by  the  adversary  on  his  right.  If  such 
adversary  plays  without  calling  it,  the  holder  may  play  to  that 
trick  as  he  pleases  ; if  it  is  the  holder’s  turn  to  lead,  the  card 
must  be  called  before  the  preceding  trick  has  been  turned  and 
quitted,  or  before  the  holder  has  led  a different  card,  otherwise 
he  may  lead  as  he  pleases. 

LAW  10.  LEADING  OUT  OF  TURN. 

Sec.  1.  If  a player  leads  out  of  turn,  and  the  error  is  dis- 
covered before  all  have  played  to  such  lead,  a suit  may  be 
called  from  him  or  from  his  partner,  as  the  case  may  be,  the 
first  time  thereafter  it  is  the  right  of  either  of  them  to  lead ; 
but  the  card  led  out  of  turn  is  not  liable  to  be  called,  and 
must  be  taken  into  the  hand.  The  penalty  can  be  enforced 
only  by  the  adversary  on  the  right  of  the  one  from  whom  a 
lead  can  lawfully  be  called.  If  all  have  played  to  the  false 
lead,  the  right  to  the  penalty  is  lost ; if  one  or  more,  but  not 
all,  have  played  to  the  trick,  the  cards  played  to  such  false 
lead  must  be  taken  back  and  are  not  liable  to  be  called. 

Sec.  2.  If  a player  leads  when  it  is  the  turn  of  an  adversary 
to  lead,  the  right  to  call  a suit  is  lost,  unless  the  player  having 
the  right  to  inflict  the  penalty  announces  the  suit  he  desires 
led  before  the  first  trick  thereafter  won  by  the  offender  or  his 
partner  is  turned  and  quitted. 

Sec.  3.  If  a player  leads  when  it  is  his  partner’s  turn,  the 
proper  leader  must  not  lead  until  a suit  has  been  lawfully 
called  or  the  right  to  inflict  the  penalty  has  been  waived  or 
forfeited  by  his  adversaries.  If  anyone  leads  while  liable  to 
this  penalty,  the  card  so  led  is  liable  to  be  called ; but  if  either 
adversary  plays  to  such  lead,  the  right  to  call  a suit  is  lost. 

Sec.  4.  If  a player,  when  called  on  to  lead  a suit,  has  none 
of  it,  the  penalty  is  paid  and  he  may  lead  as  he  pleases. 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


45 


LAW  II.  PLAYING  OUT  OF  TURN. 

Sec.  i.  If  the  third  hand  plays  before  the  second,  the 
fourth  hand  also  may  play  before  the  second. 

Sec.  2.  If  the  third  hand  has  not  played,  and  the  fourth 
hand  plays  before  the  second,  the  latter  may  be  called  upon  by 
the  third  hand  to  play  his  highest  or  lowest  card  of  the  suit 
led,  or,  if  he  has  none  of  it,  to  trump  or  not  to  trump  the 
trick ; the  penalty  cannot  be  inflicted  after  the  third  hand  has 
played  to  the  trick.  If  the  player  liable  to  this  penalty  plays 
before  it  has  been  inflicted,  waived,  or  lost,  the  card  so  played 
is  liable  to  be  called. 

LAW  12.  THE  REVOKE. 

Sec.  i.  A renounce  in  error  may  be  corrected  by  the  player 
making  it,  except  in  the  following  cases,  in  which  a revoke  is 
established  and  the  penalty  therefore  incurred  : 

(A)  When  the  trick  in  which  it  occurs  has  been  turned  and 
quitted  ; 

(B)  When  the  renouncing  player  or  his  partner,  whether 
in  his  right  turn  or  otherwise,  has  led  or  played  to  the  follow- 
ing trick  ; 

(C)  When  the  partner  of  the  renouncing  player  has  called 
attention  to  the  renounce. 

Sec.  2.  At  any  time  before  a trick  is  turned  and  quitted  a 
player  may  ask  an  adversary  if  he  has  any  of  a suit  to  which 
such  adversary  has  renounced  in  that  trick,  and  can  require  the 
error  to  be  corrected  in  case  such  adversary  is  found  to  have 
any  of  such  suit. 

Sec.  3.  If  a player  who  has  renounced  in  error  lawfully 
corrects  his  mistake,  the  card  improperly  played  by  him  is 
liable  to  be  called  ; any  player  who  has  played  after  him  may 
withdraw  his  card  and  substitute  another ; a card  so  withdrawn 
is  not  liable  to  be  called. 

Sec.  4.  The  penalty  for  a revoke  is  the  transfer  of  two 
tricks  from  the  revoking  side  to  their  adversaries.  It  can  be 
enforced  for  as  many  revokes  as  occur  during  the  play  of  that 
deal,  but  is  limited  to  the  number  of  tricks  won  by  the  offend- 
ing side  ; no  pair,  however,  can  score  more  than  thirteen  on 
the  play  of  any  one  deal.  The  revoking  player  and  his  partner 
cannot  score  more  than  the  average  on  the  deal  in  which  the 
revoke  occurs. 


4 6 


THE  LAWS  OF  WHIST. 


Sec.  5-  A revoke  may  be  claimed  at  any  time  before  the 
last  trick  of  the  deal  in  which  it  occurs  has  been  turned  and 
quitted  and  the  score  recorded,  but  not  thereafter. 

Sec.  6.  At  the  end  of  the  play  of  a deal,  the  claimants  of  a 
revoke  can  examine  all  the  cards.  If  either  hand  has  been 
shuffled,  the  claim  may  be  urged  and  proved  if  possible ; but 
no  proof  is  necessary  and  the  revoke  is  established  if,  after  it 
has  been  claimed,  the  accused  player  or  his  partner  disturbs 
the  order  of  the  cards  before  they  have  been  examined  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  adversaries. 

LAW  13.  MISCELLANEOUS. 

Sec.  i.  If  anyone  calls  attention  in  any  manner  to  the 
trick  before  his  partner  has  played  thereto,  the  adversary  last 
to  play  to  the  trick  may  require  the  offender’s  partner  to  play 
his  highest  or  lowest  of  the  suit  led,  or,  if  he  has  none  of  that 
suit,  to  trump  or  not  to  trump  the  trick. 

Sec.  2.  A player  has  the  right  to  remind  his  partner  that  it 
is  his  privilege  to  enforce  a penalty,  and  also  to  inform  him  of 
the  penalty  he  can  enforce. 

Sec.  3.  A player  has  the  right  to  prevent  his  partner  from 
committing  any  irregularity,  except  revoking. 

Sec.  4.  If  either  of  the  adversaries,  whether  with  or  without 
his  partner’s  consent,  demands  or  waives  a penalty  to  which 
they  are  entitled,  such  decision  is  final ; if  the  wrong  adver- 
sary demands  a penalty,  or  a wrong  penalty  is  demanded, 
none  can  be  enforced. 

Sec.  5.  If  a player  is  lawfully  called  upon  to  play  the  high- 
est or  the  lowest  of  a suit,  to  trump  or  not  to  trump  a trick,  to 
lead  a suit,  or  to  win  a trick,  and  unnecessarily  fails  to  com- 
ply, he  is  liable  to  the  same  penalty  as  if  he  had  revoked. 

Sec.  6.  If  anyone  leads  or  plays  a card,  and  then,  before 
his  partner  has  played  to  the  trick,  leads  one  or  more  other 
cards,  or  plays  two  or  more  cards  together,  all  of  which  are 
better  than  any  his  adversaries  hold  of  the  suit,  his  partner 
may  be  called  upon  by  either  adversary  to  win  the  first  or  any 
subsequent  trick  to  which  any  of  said  cards  are  played,  and 
the  remaining  cards  so  played  are  liable  to  be  called. 


WHIST. 


HISTORICAL. 

The  early  history  of  Whist  is  involved  in  ob- 
scurity. All  games  of  high  character  become 
perfected  by  degrees  ; and  Whist,  following  this 
rule,  has  been  formed  by  gradual  development. 
As  early  as  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, a card  game  called  triumph  or  trump  was 
commonly  played  in  England.  This  game  in  its 
chief  feature,  viz.,  the  predominance  of  one  par- 
ticular suit,  and  in  its  general  construction,  was 
so  similar  to  Whist,  that  no  one  can  doubt  it  to 
have  been  the  game  from  which  Whist  grew. 

There  were  two  distinct  games  called  trump. 
Triomphe  or  French  ruff  was  very  like  ecarte, 
only  there  was  no  score  for  the  king;  Trump  or 
English  ruff -and- honours  closely  resembled  Whist. 

Berni  (“  Capitolo  del  Gioco  della  Frimeraf 
Rome,  1526),  enumerates  several  games  at  cards  ; 
among  them  are  trionfi , played  by  the  peasants  ; 
and  ronfa , the  invention  of  which  is  attributed 
to  King  Ferdinand. 

Triumphus  Hispanicus  is  the  subject  of  a “ Dia- 
logue ” written  in  Latin  and  French  by  Vives,  a 
Spaniard  (d.  1541). 


48 


WHIST. 


La  triomphe  and  la  ronfle  are  included  by 
Rabelais  (first  half  of  sixteenth  century)  in  the 
long  list  of  some  two  hundred  and  thirty  games 
played  by  Gargantua. 

In  “ A Worlde  of  Wordes  or  Most  copious  and 
exact  Dictionarie  in  Italian  and  English  collected 
by  John  Florio,  1598,”  ronfa  is  defined  as  ua 
game  at  cardes  called  ruffe  or  tntjnpe  ; ” and  under 
trionfo  he  gives  “ triumph . * * * Also  a trump 
at  cards , or  the  play  called  trump  or  ruff  A 

There  is  no  evidence  to  show  whether  the 
above  refer  to  the  foreign  or  native  form  of 
trump.  Douce,  in  his  “ Illustrations  of  Shake- 
speare,” 1839,  concludes,  from  finding  la  trio7nphe 
in  Rabelais’  list,  that  the  game  of  trump  was  in 
all  probability  derived  from  a French  source. 
But  it  seems  more  likely,  from  the  non-appear- 
ance of  English  ruff-and-honours  in  the  Academie 
des  ffeux,  and  from  the  distinction  drawn  in  Cot- 
ton’s “ Compleat  Gamester  ” between  “ English 
ruff-and-honours  ” and  “ French  ruff”  (la  triomphe 
of  the  Academie ),  that  the  game  referred  to  by 
Berni,  Vives,  Rabelais,  and  Florio,  is  not  Eng- 
lish ruff-and-honours,  for  which  an  English  origin 
(as  the  name  implies)  may  be  claimed. 

Flow  and  when  trump  or  English  ruff-and- 
honours  originated  cannot  now  be  ascertained. 
It  was  played  at  least  as  early  as  the  time  of 
Henry  VIII.,  for  it  was  taken  by  Latimer  to 
illustrate  his  text,  in  the  first  of  two  sermons 
“ Of  the  Card,”  preached  by  him  at  Cambridge, 


WHIST. 


49 


in  Advent,  about  the  year  1529.  He  mentions 
the  game  under  its  original  and  corrupted  ap- 
pellations, and  clearly  alludes  to  its  character- 
istic feature,  as  the  following  extract  will  show. 

‘ 4 And  where  you  are  wont  to  celebrate  Christmass  in 
playing  at  Cards,  I intend,  with  God’s  grace,  to  deal  unto 
you  Christ’s  Cards,  wherein  you  shall  perceive  Christ’s 
Rule.  The  game  that  we  play  at  shall  be  the  Triumph, 
which,  if  it  be  well  played  at,  he  that  dealeth  shall  win  ; 
the  Players  shall  likewise  win,  and  the  standers  and  look- 
ers upon  shall  do  the  same.  * * * You  must  mark 

also,  that  the  Triumph  must  apply  to  fetch  home  unto  him 
all  the  other  Cards,  whatsoever  suit  they  be  of.  * * * 

Then  further  we  must  say  to  ourselves,  ‘ What  requireth 
Christ  of  a Christian  man  ? ’ Now  turn  up  your  trump, 
your  Heart  (Hearts  is  Trump,  as  I said  before)  and  cast 
your  Trump,  your  Heart,  on  this  card.” 

Later  in  the  century  trump  is  often  referred 
to.  In  “ Gammer  Gurton’s  Nedle,  made  by 
Mr.  3.,  Mr  of  Art  [Bishop  Still]  1575,”  the 
second  piece  performed  in  England  under  the 
name  of  a comedy  (performed  at  Christ’s  College, 
Cambridge,  in  1566),  Old  Dame  Chat  thus  invites 
some  friends  to  a game  : — 

“ Chat.  What  diccon  : come  nere,  ye  be  no  straunger, 

We  be  fast  set  at  trumpe  man,  hard  by  the  fyre, 
Thou  shalt  set  on  the  king,  if  thou  come  a litte 
nyer. 

* * * * * * * * * 

Come  hether,  Dol,  Dol,  sit  downe  and  play  this 
game, 

And  as  thou  sawest  me  do,  see  thou  do  even  the 
same 


4 


So 


WHIST. 


There  is  5.  trumps  beside  the  Queene,  ye  hindmost 
yu  shalt  finde  her 

Take  hede  of  Sim  glover’s  wife,  she  hath  an  eie 
behind  her.” 

In  Eliot's  “ Fruits  for  the  French  ” (1593), 
trump  is  called  “ a verie  common  alehouse 
game  ; ” and  Rice,  in  his  “ Invective  against 
Vices  " (printed  before  1600),  observes  that  “reT 
nouncing  the  trompe  and  comming  in  againe  " 
(i.e.,  revoking  intentionally),  is  a common  sharp- 
er’s  trick.  Decker,  in  “ The  Belman  of  Lon- 
don ” (1608),  speaks  of  “ the  deceites  practised 
(euen  in  the  fairest  and  most  ciuill  companies) 
at  Primero,  Saint,  Maw,  Tromp,  and  such  like 
games." 

The  game  of  trump  is  also  mentioned  by 
Shakespeare  in  “ Antony  and  Cleopatra,"  Act 
iv;  scene  12  (first  published  1623). 

“Ant.  My  good  knave , Eros,  now  thy  Captain  is 
Even  such  a body  ; here  am  I Antony  ; 

Yet  cannot  hold  this  visible  shape,  my  knave . 

I made  these  wars  for  Egypt  ; and  the  Queen , — 
Whose  heart  I thought  I had,  for  she  had  mine  ; 
Which,  whilst  it  was  mine,  had  annex’d  unto ’t 
A million  more,  now  lost, — she,  Eros,  has 
Packed  cards  with  Caesar,  and  false-played  my  glory 
Unto  an  enemy’s  triumph .” 


The  punning  allusions  to  cards  in  this  passage 
point  to  the  conclusion  that  the  word  “ triumph  " 
refers  to  the  game  of  trump.  This  seems  to  have 


WHIST. 


Si 


been  first  noticed  by  Douce,  who  adds,  “the  term 
indicates  a winning  or  triumphant  card.” 

There  is  abundant  evidence  to  show  that  trump 
is  a corruption  of  the  word  triumph.  In  addition 
to  the  instances  already  given,  the  following  may 
be  quoted  : In  Cotgrave’s  “ Dictionarie  of  the 
French  and  English  Tongve  ” (1611),  Triomphe 
is  explained  as  “ the  Card-game  called  Ruffe  or 
Tru?np  ; also  the  Ruffe  or  Trump  at  it.”  Minsheu, 
in  “The  Guide  unto  Tongues”  (1617),  gives, 
“The  T rum  pe  in  cardes . Triumfo , it  a diet: 
quod  de  ccetej'is  chartis  triumphare  videatur,  quod 
illis  sit  preestantior.”  Seymour,  in  his  “ Court 
Gamester”  (1719),  says — “The  Term  Trump 
comes  from  a Corruption  of  the  Word  Triumph  ; 
for  wherever  they  are,  they  are  attended  with 
Conquest.”  Ash  (“Dictionary,  1775”)  has 
“ Triumph  (s.  from  the  Lat.  triumphus).  * * * 

A conquering  card,  a trump  ; hut  this  sense  is 
now  become  obsolete.  Trump  (s.  from  triumph).” 

The  derivation  of  the  word  ruff  or  ruffe  has 
caused  much  speculation.  The  previous  quota- 
tions show  that  it  is  the  same  word  as  ronfa 
(Ital.)  and  ronfle  (Fr.),  and  that  it  is  synonymous 
with  the  English  triumph  or  trump.  Even  at 
the  present  day  many  Whist  players  speak  of 
ruffing,  i.e. , trumping  ; and,  in  the  expression  a 
cross-ruff,  the  word  ruff  is  preserved  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  the  word  trump. 

The  game  of  ruff-and-honours,  if  not  the  same 
as  trump  or  ruff,  was  probably  the  same  game, 


52 


WHIST. 


with  the  addition  of  certain  advantages  to  the 
four  highest  cards  of  the  trump  suit.  Rabelais 
includes  in  his  list  a game  called  “ les  Honneurs  ” 
but  whether  it  had  any  affinity  to  ruff-and-honours 
is  doubtful.  In  “ Shufling,  Cutting,  and  Dealing, 
in  a Game  at  Pickquet : being  Acted  from  the 
Year,  1653.  to  1658.  By  O.P.  [Oliver  Protector] 
and  others  ; With  great  Applause.”  (1659),  the 
“ Old  Foolish  Christmas  Game  with  Honours  ” is 
mentioned.  Some  writers  are  of  opinion  that 
trump  was  originally  played  without  honours  ; 
but  as  no  description  of  trump  without  honours 
is  known  to  exist,  their  view  must  be  regarded 
as  conjectural.  In  1674  was  published  “ The 
Compleat  Gamester  : or  Instructions  How  to  play 
at  Billiards,  Trucks,  Bowls,  and  Chess.  To- 
gether with  all  manner  of  usual  and  most  Gentile 
Games,  either  on  Cards  or  Dice.”  [By  Charles 
Cotton.]  Cotton  gives  a drawing  of  the  game 
of  Whist  ( see  frontispiece),  and  thus  describes 
ruff-and-honours  : — 

“At  Ruff  and  Honours,  by  some  called  Slamm,  you 
have  in  the  Pack  all  the  Deuces,  and  the  reason  is,  because 
four  playing-  having  dealt  twelve  a piece,  there  are  four  left 
for  the  Stock,  the  uppermost  whereof  is  turn’d  up,  and  that 
is  Trumps,  he  that  hath  the  Ace  of  that  Ruffs;  that  is,  he 
takes  in  those  four  Cards,  and  lays  out  four  others  in  their 
lieu  ; the  four  Honours  are  the  Ace,  King,  Queen,  and 
Knave  ; he  that  hath  three  Honours  in  his  own  hand,  his 
partner  not  having  the  fourth  sets  up  Eight  by  Cards,  that 
is  two  tricks  ; if  he  hath  all  four,  then  Sixteen,  that  is  four 
tricks ; it  is  all  one  if  two  Partners  make  them  three  or  four 


WHIST. 


S3 


between  them,  as  if  one  had  them.  If  the  Honours  are 
equally  divided  among  the  Gamesters  of  each  side,  then  they 
say  Honours  are  split.  If  either  side  are  at  Eight  Groats 
he  hath  the  benefit  of  calling  Can-ye,  if  he  hath  two  Honours 
in  his  hand,  and  if  the  other  answers  one,  the  Game  is  up, 
which  is  nine  in  all,  but  if  he  hath  more  than  two  he  shows 
them,  and  then  it  is  one  and  the  same  thing  ; but  if  he  for- 
gets to  call  after  playing  a trick,  he  loseth  the  advantage  of 
Can-ye  for  that  deal. 

“All  Cards  are  of  value  as  they  are  superiour  one  to  an- 
other, as  a Ten  wins  a Nine  if  not  Trumps,  so  a Queen,  a 
Knave  in  like  manner  ; but  the  least  Trump  will  win  the 
highest  Card  of  any  other  Card  [suit]  ; where  note  the  Ace  is 
the  highest.” 


This  game  was  clearly  Whist  in  an  imperfect 
form.  Whist  is  not  mentioned  by  Shakespeare, 
nor  by  any  writer  (it  is  believed)  of  the  Eliza- 
bethan era.  It  is  probable  that  the  introduction 
of  the  name  whist  or  whisk  took  place  early  in 
the  seventeenth  century. 

The  first  known  appearance  of  the  word  in 
print  is  in  the  “ Motto  ” of  Taylor,  the  Water 
Poet  (1621).  Taylor  spells  the  word  whisk. 
Speaking  of  the  prodigal,  he  says  : — 


“The  Prodigals  estate,  like  to  a flux, 

The  Mercer,  Draper,  and  the  Silkman  sucks  : 

****** 

He  flings  his  money  free  with  carelessnesse  : 

At  Novum,  Mumchance,  mischance,  (chuse  ye  which) 

At  One  and  Thirty,  or  at  Poore  and  rich, 

Ruffe,  slam,  Trump,  nody,  whisk,  hole,  Sant,  New-cut.” 


54 


WHIST. 


The  word  continued  to  be  spelt  whisk  for 
about  forty  years.  The.  earliest  known  use  of 
the  present  spelling  is  in  “ Hudibras  the  Second 
Part”  (spurious)  published  in  1663  : — 

“ But  what  was  this  ? A Game  at  Whist 
Unto  our  Plowden-Canonist." 

After  this,  the  word  is  spelt  indifferently,  whisk 
or  whist.  In  “ The  Compleat  Gamester  ” (1674 
and  subsequent  editions)  Cotton  says,  under 
playing  the  cards  at  “ Picket,”  “ the  elder  begins 
and  younger  follows  in  suit  as  at  Whisk.”  But 
he  uses  the  other  spelling  in  his  chapter  on  the 
game  itself.  He  observes,  “ Ruff  and  Honours 
(alias  Slamm)  and  Whist,  are  Games  so  commonly 
known  in  England  in  all  parts  thereof,  that  every 
Child  almost  of  Eight  Years  old  hath  a competent 
knowledge  in  that  recreation.” 

After  describing  ruff-and-honours  (see  the  pas- 
sage quoted,  pp.  52,  53),  Cotton  adds,  “ Whist 
is  a game  not  much  differing  from  this,  only  they 
put  out  the  Deuces  and  take  in  no  stock  ; and 
is  called  Whist  from  the  silence  that  is  to  be 
observed  in  the  play  ; they  deal  as  before,  playing 
four,  two  of  a side  * * * to  each  Twelve  a 

piece,  and  the  Trump  is  the  bottom  Card.  The 
manner  of  crafty  playing,  the  number  of  the 
Game  Nine,  Honours  and  dignity  of  other  Cards 
are  all  alike,  and  he  that  wins  most  tricks  is  most 
forward  to  win  the  set.” 

Cotton’s  work  was  afterward  incorporated 


WHIST. 


55 


with  Seymour’s  Court-Gamester  (first  published 
1719).  The  earlier  editions  contain  no  Whist, 
but  after  the  two  books  were  united  (about  1734), 
Seymour  says,  “ Whist,  vulgarly  called  whisk. 
The  original  denomination  of  this  game  is  Whist, 
[here  Seymour  is  mistaken]  or  the  silent  game 
at  cards.”  And  again,  “talking  is  not  allowed 
at  Whist;  the  very  word  implies  ‘ Hold  your 
Tongue.’  ” 

Dr.  Johnson  does  not  positively  derive  Whist 
from  the  interjectio  silentium  imperans ; he  cau- 
tiously explains  Whist  to  be  “ a game  at  cards, 
requiring  close  attention  and  silence.”  Nares,  in 
his  “ Glossary,”  has  “ Whist,  an  interjection  com- 
manding silence  ; ” and  he  adds,  “That the  name 
of  the  game  of  Whist  is  derived  from  this,  is 
known,  I presume,  to  all  who  play  or  do  not 
play.”  Skeat  (“  Etymological  Dictionary  of  the 
English  Language,  1882”)  gives,  “Whist,  hush, 
silence  ; a game  at  cards  * * * named  from 

the  silence  requisite  to  play  it  attentively.” 

Chatto,  however  (Facts  and  Speculations  on 
the  Origin  and  History  of  Playing  Cards,  1848), 
suggests  that  whisk  is  derived  by  substitution 
from  ruff,  both  of  them  signifying  a piece  of 
lawn  used  as  an  ornament  to  the  dress. 

The  best  modern  etymologists  are  of  opinion 
that,  whisk  and  whist,  being,  like  whisper,  whistle, 
wheeze,  hush  and  hist,  words  of  imitative  origin, 
it  makes  no  difference  which  form  is  first  found. 
So  the  received  derivation  from  silence,  having 


WHIST. 


56 

a good  deal  of  evidence  in  its  favour,  may  be 
accepted -until  some  more  conclusive  arguments 
than  Chatto’s  are  brought  against  it. 

While  Whist  was  undergoing  the  changes  of 
name  and  character  already  specified,  there  was 
for  a time  associated  with  it  another  title,  viz., 
swabbers  or  swobbers.  Fielding,  in  his  “ History 
of  the  life  of  the  late  Mr.  Jonathan  Wild,  the 
Great,”  records  that  when  the  ingenious  Count 
La  Ruse  was  domiciled  with  Mr.  Geoffrey  Snap, 
in  1682,  or,  in  other  words,  was  in  a spunging- 
house,  the  Count  beguiled  the  tedium  of  his  in- 
door existence  by  playing  at  Whisk-and-Swabbers, 
“ the  game  then  in  the  chief  vogue.”  Swift,  in 
“ The  Intelligencer”  (No.  v,  Dublin,  1728),  ridi- 
cules Archbishop  Tenison  for  not  understanding 
the  meaning  of  swabbers.  “ There  is  a known 
Story  of  a Clergy-Man , who  was  recommended 
for  a Preferment  by  some  great  Man  at  Court,  to 
A.  B.  C.  T.  His  Grace  said,  he  had  heard  that 
the  Clergy-Man  used  to  play  at  Whisk  and  Swob- 
bers, that  as  to  playing  now  and  then  a Sober 
Game  at  Whisk  for  pastime,  it  might  be  par- 
doned, but  he  could  not  digest  those  wicked 
Swobbers,  and  it  was  with  some  pains  that  my 

Lord  S rs  could  undeceive  him.”  Johnson 

defines  swobbers  as  “four  privileged  cards  used 
incidentally  in  betting  at  Whist.”  In  Captain 
Francis  Grose’s  “Classical  Dictionary  of  the 
Vulgar  Tongue”  (1785),  swabbers  are  stated  to 
be  “ The  ace  of  hearts,  knave  of  clubs,  ace  and 


WHIST. 


57 


duce  of  trumps  at  Whist.”  The  Hon.  Daines 
Barrington  (writing  in  1786),  says  that  at  the 
beginning  of  the  century,  whisk  was  “ played  with 
what  were  called  Swabbers,  which  were  possibly 
so  termed,  because  they,  who  had  certain  cards  in 
their  hand,  were  entitled  to  take  up  a share  of 
the  stake,  independent  of  the  general  event  of 
the  game.”  This  was  probably  the  true  office  of 
the  swabbers,  the  etymology  of  the  word  showing 
it  to  be  allied  to  sweep,  swoop,  swab,  swap,  and 
to  be  first  cousin  to  sweepstakes.  Swabbers 
soon  went  out  of  general  use,  but  they  may  still 
linger  in  some  local  coteries.  R.  B.  Wormald 
writes  thus  respecting  them  in  1873  : — Being 
driven  by  stress  of  weather  to  take  shelter  in  a 
sequestered  hostelry  on  the  Berkshire  bank  of 
the  Thames,  he  found  four  persons  immersed  in 
the  game  of  Whist : “ In  the  middle  of  the  hand, 
one  of  the  players,  with  a grin  that  almost 
mounted  to  a chuckle,  and  a vast  display  of 
moistened  thumb,  spread  out  upon  the  table  the 
ace  of  trumps  ; whereupon  the  other  three  delib- 
erately laid  down  their  hands,  and  forthwith 
severally  handed  over  the  sum  of  one  penny  to 
the  fortunate  holder  of  the  card  in  question.  On 
enquiry,  we  were  informed  that  the  process  was 
technically  known  as  a ‘ swap  ’ (qy.  swab  or  swab- 
ber), and  was  de  rigueur  in  all  properly  consti- 
tuted whist  circles.” 

After  the  swabbers  were  dropped  (and  it  is 
probable  that  they  were  not  in  general  use  in  the 


58 


WHIST. 


eighteenth  century),  the  English  national  card 
game  became  known  simply  as  Whist,  though 
still  occasionally  spelt  whisk.  The  Hon.  Daines 
Barrington  (“  Archaeologia,”  Vol.  viii.)  says,  that 
Whist  in  its  infancy  was  chiefly  confined  to 
the  servants’  hall.  That  the  game  had  not  yet 
become  fashionable  is  evident  from  the  dis- 
paraging way  in  which  it  is  referred  to  by 
writers  of  the  period.  In  Farquhar's  comedy  of 
“ The  Beaux’s  Stratagem”  (1707),  Mrs.  Sullen, 
a fine  lady  from  London,  speaks  in  a contemptu- 
ous vein  of  the  “ rural  Accomplishments  of 
drinking  fat  Ale,  playing  at  Whisk,  and  smoak- 
ing  Tobacco.”  Pope  also  classes  Whist  as  a 
country  squire’s  game,  in  his  “ Epistle  to  Mrs. 
Teresa  Blount  ” (1715) — 

“Some  Squire,  perhaps,  you  take  delight  to  rack, 

Whose  game  is  Whisk,  whose  treat  a toast  in  sack.” 

Thomson,  in  his  “ Autumn  ” (1730),  describes 
how  after  a heavy  hunt  dinner — 

“ Perhaps  a while,  amusive,  thoughtful  Whisk 
Walks  gentle  round,  beneath  a cloud  of  smoak, 
Wreath’d,  fragrant,  from  the  pipe.” 

Early  in  the  century  the  points  of  the  game 
rose  from  nine  to  ten  (“  nine  in  all,”  Cotton, 
1709;  “ ten  in  all,”  Cotton,  1721;  “ nine  in 
all,”  Cotton,  1725  ; “ ten  in  all,”  Seymour,  1734, 
“ rectified  according  to  the  present  standard  of 
play  ”).  Every  subsequent  edition  of  Seymour 


WHIST. 


59 


(with  which  Cotton  was  incorporated)  makes  the 
game  ten  up.  It  seems  likely  that,  simultane- 
ously with  this  change,  or  closely  following  it, 
the  practice  of  playing  with  the  entire  pack 
instead  of  with  but  forty  eight  cards  obtained. 
This  improvement  introduced  the  odd  tricky  an 
element  of  the  greatest  interest  in  modern  Whist. 

At  this  period  (early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century)  there  was  a mania  for  card-playing  in 
all  parts  of  Europe,  and  in  all  classes  of  society, 
but  Whist  had  not  as  yet  found  favour  in  the 
highest  circles.  Piquet,  Ombre,  and  Quadrille, 
were  the  principal  games  of  the  fashionable 
world.  But  about  1728,  the  game  of  Whist  rose 
out  of  its  comparative  obscurity. 

A party  of  gentlemen  (according  to  Dailies 
Barrington),  of  whom  the  first  Lord  Folkestone 
was  one,  used  at  this  date  to  frequent  the 
Crown  Coffee-house,  in  Bedford  Row,  where  they 
studied  Whist  scientifically.  They  must  have 
made  considerable  progress  in  the  game,  to  judge 
by  the  following  rules  which  they  laid  down  : — 
“ Lead  from  the  strong  suit  ; study  your  partner’s 
hand  ; and  attend  to  the  score.” 

Shortly  after  this,  the  celebrated  Edmond 
Hoyle,  the  father  of  the  game,  published  his 
“ Short  Treatise”  (1742-3).  About  Hoyle’s  ante- 
cedents, but  little  is  known.  He  was  born  in 
1672  ; it  is  said  he  was  educated  for  the  bar. 
It  has  been  stated  that  he  was  born  in  Yorkshire, 
but  this  is  doubtful.  At  all  events,  the  Author, 


6 o 


WHIST. 


by  personal  enquiry,  has  positively  ascertained 
that  he  did  not  belong  to  the  family  of  Yorkshire 
Hoyles,  who  acquired  estates  near  Halifax  temp. 
Edward  III.  It  has  also  been  stated  that  Hoyle 
was  appointed  registrar  of  the  prerogative  court 
at  Dublin,  in  1742.  This,  however,  is  unlikely. 
At  that  time,  Hoyle  was  engaged  in  writing  on 
games,  and  in  giving  lessons  in  Whist,  and  he 
was  probably  living  in  London.  At  all  events, 
the  only  known  genuine  copy  of  the  first  edition 
of  the  “ Short  Treatise  ” (in  the  Bodleian),  was 
published  in  London  ; and  Hoyle  afterwards  re- 
sided in  Queen  Square.  The  name  Edmund  or 
Edmond  is  common  in  both  the  Yorkshire  and 
Irish  families  of  Hoyle  ; and  probably  one  Hoyle 
has  been  mistaken  for  another. 

Internal  evidence  shows  that  Hoyle  originally 
drew  up  notes  for  the  use  of  his  pupils.  His 
early  editions  speak  of  “ Purchasers  of  the  Trea- 
tise in  Manuscript,  disposed  of  the  last  Winter,” 
and  further  state  that  the  author  of  it  “ has 
fram’d  an  Artificial  Memory , which  takes  not  off 
your  Attention  from  your  Game  ; and  if  re- 
quired, he  is  ready  to  communicate  it,  upon 
Payment  of  one  Guinea.  And  also,  He  will  ex- 
plain any  Cases  in  the  Book,  upon  Payment  of 
one  Guinea  more.”  The  cheap  spurious  editions 
lament  that  there  was  “a  Treatise  on  the  Game 
of  Whist  lately  dispersed  among  a few  Hands  at 
a Guinea  Price  ; ” that  it  was  to  be  procured  with 
no  small  difficulty  ; and  that  the  public  lay  under 


WHIST. 


61 


imposition  and  hardship  in  not  being  able  to  have 
the  book  under  a guinea,  and  by  its  being  re- 
served only  in  a few  hands. 

No  doubt,  the  circulation  of  these  surreptitious 
copies  induced  Hoyle  to  print  the  manuscript, 
and  to  register  the  “ Short  Treatise”  at  Sta- 
tioners’ Hall  in  November,  1742. 

The  treatise  ran  through  five  editions  in  one 
year,  and  it  is  said  that  Hoyle  received  a large 
sum  for  the  copyright.  This  last  statement, 
however,  requires  verification ; at  all  events, 
Hoyle  continued  for  years  to  sign  every  copy 
personally,  as  the  proprietor  of  the  copyright. 
This  was  done  in  order  to  protect  the  property 
from  further  piracy,  as  the  address  to  the  reader 
shows. 

The  following  is  a fac-simile  of  Hoyle’s  signa- 
ture, taken  from  the  fourth  edition  : — 


In  the  fifteenth  edition  the  signature  is  im- 
pressed from  a wood  block,  and  in  the  seven- 
teenth it  was  announced  that  Mr.  Hoyle  was 
dead.  He  died  in  Welbank  (Welbeck)  Street, 
Cavendish  Square,  in  August,  1769,  at  the  re- 
puted age  of  97. 

One  effect  of  Hoyle’s  publication  was  to  draw 
forth  a witty  skit,  entitled  “ The  Humours  of 
Whist.  A Dramatic  Satire,  as  Acted  every  Day 


62 


WHIST. 


at  White's  and  other  Coffee-Houses  and  Assem - 
Mies.”  (I743-) 

The  pamphlet  commences  with  an  advertise- 
ment mimicking  Hoyle’s  address  to  the  reader. 
The  prologue  to  the  play  is  “ supposed  to  be 
spoke  by  a waiter  at  White’s.” 

“ Who  will  believe  that  Man  could  e’er  exist. 

Who  spent  near  half  an  Age  in  studying  Whist  ? 
Grew  gray  with  Calculation — Labour  hard  ! 

As  if  Life’s  Business  center’d  in  a Card  ? 

That  such  there  is,  let  me  to  those  appeal, 

Who  with  such  liberal  Hands  reward  his  Zeal. 

Lo  ! Whist  he  makes  a science,  and  our  Peers 
Deign  to  turn  School  Boys  in  their  riper  Years.” 

The  principal  characters  are  Professor  Whiston 
(Hoyle),  who  gives  lessons  in  the  game  of 
Whist ; Sir  Calculation  Puzzle,  a passionate  ad- 
mirer of  Whist,  who  imagines  himself  a good 
player,  yet  always  loses  ; Sharpers,  Pupils  of  the 
Professor,  and  Cocao,  Master  of  the  Chocolate- 
house.  The  sharpers  are  disgusted  at  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  book. 

“ Lure  hum.  Thou  knowest  we  have  the  Honour  to  be 
admitted  into  the  best  Company,  which  neither  our  Birth  nor 
Fortunes  entitle  us  to,  merely  for  our  Reputation  as  good 
Whist-  Players. 

Shuffle.  Very  well  ! 

Lurch.  But  if  this  damn’d  Book  of  the  Professor’s  an- 
swers, as  he  pretends,  to  put  Players  more  upon  a Par,  what 
will  avail  our  superior  Skill  in  the  Game?  We  are  undone  to 
all  Intents  and  Purposes.  * * * We  must  bid  adieu  to 

White' s,  George' s}  Brown's , and  all  the  polite  Assemblies 


WHIST.  63 


about  Town,  and  that’s  enough  to  make  a Man  mad  instead 
of  thoughtful. 

Shuf.  Damn  him,  I say, — Could  he  find  no  other  Employ- 
ment for  forty  Years  together,  than  to  study  how  to  circum- 
vent younger  Brothers,  and  such  as  us,  who  live  by  our  Wits  ? 
A man  that  discovers  the  Secrets  of  any  Profession  deserves 
to  be  sacrificed,  and  I would  be  the  first,  Lure  hum , to  cut 
the  Professor’s  Throat  for  what  he  has  done,  but  that  I think 
I have  pretty  well  defeated  the  malevolent  Effect  of  his  fine- 
spun Calculations. 

Lurch.  As  how,  dear  Shuffle?  Thou  revivest  me. 

Shuf.  I must  confess  the  Publication  of  his  Treatise 
gave  me  at  first  some  slight  Alarm  ; but  I did  not,  like 
thee,  Lure  hum,  indulge  in  melancholy  desponding  Thoughts  : 
On  the  contrary,  I called  up  my  Indignation  to  my  Assist- 
ance, and  have  ever  since  been  working  upon  a private 
Treatise  on  Signs  at  Whist , by  way  of  counter  Treatise 
to  his,  and  which,  if  I mistake  not,  totally  overthrows  his 
System.” 

On  the  other  hand,  the  gentlemen  are  in  rapt- 
ures. 

“ Sir  Calculation  Puzzle.  The  progress  your  Lordship 
has  made  for  the  time  you  have  study’d  under  the  Pro- 
fessor is  wonderful. — Pray,  has  your  Lordship  seen  the  dear 
Man  to-day  ? 

Lord  Slim.  O yes. — His  Grace  sate  him  down  at  my 
House,  and  I have  just  lent  him  my  Chariot  into  the  City. 
— How  do  you  like  the  last  edition  of  his  Treatise  with  the 
Appendix,1  Sir  Calculation?  I mean  that  sign’d  with  his 
Name.2 

Sir  Cal.  O Gad,  my  Lord,  there  never  was  so  excellent 
a Book  printed. — I’m  quite  in  Raptures  with  it — I will 

1 “ The  author  of  this  treatise  did  promise  if  it  met  with  approbation, 
to  make  an  addition  to  it  by  way  of  Appendix,  which  he  has  done 
accordingly.” — Hoyle. 

2 Authorised  as  revised  and  corrected  under  his  own  hand. — Hoyle. 


6 4 


WHIST. 


eat  with  it — sleep  with  it — go  to  Court  with  it — go  to 
Parliament  with  it — go  to  Church  with  it. — I pronounce 
it  the  Gospel  of  Whist-Players  ; and  the  Laws  of  the  Game 
ought  to  be  wrote  in  golden  Letters,  and  hung  up  in 
Coffee-houses,  as  much  as  the  Ten  Commandments  in  Parish 
Churches. 

Sir  John  Medium.  Ha  ! Ha  ! Ha  ! You  speak  of  the 
Book  with  the  Zeal  of  a primitive  Father. 

Sir  Cal.  Not  half  enough,  Sir  John — the  Calculations  1 
are  so  exact  ! * * * his  Observations 2 are  quite  masterly  ! 
his  Rules  3 so  comprehensive  ! his  Cautions  4 so  judicious  ! 
There  are  such  Variety  of  Cases6  in  his  Treatise,  and  the 
Principles  are  so  new,  I want  Words  to  express  the  Author, 
and  can  look  on  him  in  po  other  Light  than  as  a second 
Newton .” 

The  way  in  which  Sir  Calculation  introduces 
Hoyle’s  Calculations  of  Chances  is  very  amusing. 

“ Sir  John.  ’Twas  by  some  such  laudable  Practices,  I 
suppose,  that  you  suffered  in  your  last  Affair  with  Lurchum. 

Sir  Cal.  O Gad,  No,  Sir  John — Never  any  thing  was 
fairer,  nor  was  ever  any  thing  so  critical. — We  were  nine 
all.  The  adverse  Party  had  3,  and  we  4 Tricks.  All  the 
Trumps  were  out.  I had  Queen  and  two  small  Clubs, 
with  the  Lead.  Let  me  see — It  was  about  222  and  3 
Halves  to — ’gad,  I forgot  how  many — that  my  Partner  had 
the  Ace  and  King — let  me  recollect — ay — that  he  had  one 
only  was  about  31  to  26. — That  he  had  not  both  of  them 

1 “ Calculations  for  those  who  will  bet  the  odds  on  any  points  of  the 
score,”  etc. — “ Calculations  directing  with  moral  certainty,  how  to  pl^y 
well  any  hand  or  game,”  etc. — Hoyle. 

2 “ Games  to  be  played  with  certain  observations,”  etc. — Hoyle. 

3 “ Some  general  rules  to  be  observed,”  etc. — “Some  particular  rules 
to  be  observed,”  etc. — Hoyle. 

4 “ A caution  not  to  part  with  the  command  of  your  adversaries’ 
great  suit,”  etc. — Hoyle. 

6 “ With  a variety  of  Cases  added  in  the  Appendix.” — Hoyle. 


WHIST. 


65 


17  to  2, — and  that  he  had  not  one,  or  both,  or  neither, 
some  25  to  32. — So  I,  according  to  the  Judgment  of  the 
Game,  led  a Club,  my  Partner  takes  it  with  the  King. 
Then  it  was  exactly  481  for  us  to  222  against  them.  He 
returns  the  same  Suit ; I win  it  with  my  Queen,  and  return 
it  again  ; but  the  Devil  take  that  Lure  hum,  by  passing  his 
Ace  twice,  he  took  the  Trick,  and  having  2 more  Clubs 
and  a 13th  Card,  I gad,  all  was  over. — But  they  both  allow’d 
I play’d  admirably  well  for  all  that.” 

The  following  passage  from  the  same  pamphlet 
mentions  the  Crown — probably  the  Crown  Coffee- 
house— and  it  has  been  inferred  from  this  that 
Hoyle  himself  might  have  been  one  of  Lord 
Folkestone’s  party. 

“ Young  Jobber  [A  pupil  of  the  Professor’s].  Dear,  Mr. 
Professor , I can  never  repay  you. — You  have  given  me 
such  an  Insight  by  this  Visit,  I am  quite  another  Thing — 
I find  I knew  nothing  of  the  Game  before  ; tho’  I can 
assure  you,  I have  been  reckoned  a First-rate  Player  in 
the  City  a good  while — nay,  for  that  Matter,  I make  no 
bad  figure  at  the  Crown — and  don’t  despair,  by  your  Assist- 
ance, but  to  make  one  at  White' s soon.” 

Hoyle  is  also  spoken  of  in  his  professional 
capacity  in  “ The  Rambler”  of  May  8,  1750. 
A “ Lady  that  has  lost  her  Money  ” writes,  “ As 
for  Play,  I do  think  I may,  indeed,  indulge  in 
that,  now  I am  my  own  Mistress.  Papa  made 
me  drudge  at  Whist  ’till  I Was  tired  of  it  ; and 
far  from  wanting  a Head,  Mr.  Hoyle , when  he 
had  not  given  me  above  forty  Lessons,  said,  I 
was  one  of  his  best  Scholars.” 

Again,  in  “ The  Gentleman’s  Magazine  ” for 

5 


66 


WHIST. 


February,  1755,  a writer,  professing  to  give  the 
autobiography  of  a modern  physician,  says,  “ Hoyle 
tutor’d  me  in  the  several  games  at  cards,  and 
under  the  name  of  guarding  me  from  being 
cheated,  insensibly  gave  me  a taste  for  sharping.” 

In  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Whist 
was  regularly  played  in  fashionable  society.  In 
“Tom  Jones,”  Lady  Bellaston,  Lord  Fellamar, 
and  others,  are  represented  as  indulging  in  a 
rubber.  Hoyle  also  comes  in  for  notice  in  the 
following  passage  in  the  same  work;  “ I happened 
to  come  home  several  Hours  before  my  usual 
Time,  when  I found  four  Gentlemen  of  the  Cloth 
at  Whisk  by  my  fire  ; — and  my  Hoyle , sir, — my 
best  Hoyle , which  cost  me  a Guinea,  lying  open 
on  the  Table,  with  a Quantity  of  Porter  spilt  on 
one  of  the  most  material  Leaves  of  the  whole 
Book.  This,  you  will  allow,  was  provoking  ; but 
I said  nothing  till  the  rest  of  the  honest  Com- 
pany were  gone,  and  then  gave  the  Fellow  a 
gentle  Rebuke,  who,  instead  of  expressing  any 
Concern,  made  me  a pert  Answer,  ‘ That  Servants 
must  have  their  Diversions  as  well  as  other 
People  ; that  he  was  sorry  for  the  Accident  which 
had  happened  to  the  Book  ; but  that  several  of 
his  Acquaintance  had  bought  the  same  for  a Shill- 
ing ; and  that  I might  stop  as  much  in  his  Wages, 
if  I pleased.’  ” 

In  an  epic  poem  on  “Whist,”  by  Alexander 
Thomson,  which  appeared  in  1791^  Hoyle  was 
thus  invoked — 


WHIST. 


67 


“ Whist,  then,  delightful  Whist,  my  theme  shall  be, 
And  first  I’ll  try  to  trace  its  pedigree, 

And  shew  what  sage  and  comprehensive  mind 
Gave  to  the  world  a pleasure  so  refin’d  : 

Then  shall  the  verse  its  various  charms  display, 
Which  bear  from  ev’ry  game  the  palm  away ; 

And,  last  of  all,  those  rules  and  maxims  tell, 

Which  give  the  envied  pow’r  to  play  it  well. 

But  first  (for  such  the  mode)  some  tuneful  shade 
Must  be  invok’d,  the  vent’rous  Muse  to  aid. 
Cremona’s  poet  shall  I first  address, 

Who  paints  with  skill  the  mimic  war  of  chess, 

And  India’s  art  in  Roman  accents  sings ; 

Or  him  who  soars  on  far  sublimer  wings, 

Belinda’s  bard,  who  taught  his  liquid  lay 
At  Ombre’s  studious  game  so  well  to  play  ? 

But  why  thus  vainly  hesitates  the  Muse, 

In  idle  doubt,  what  guardian  pow’r  to  chuse  ? 

What  pow’r  so  well  can  aid  her  daring  toil, 

As  the  bright  spirit  of  immortal  Hoyle  ? 

By  whose  enlighten’d  efforts  Whist  became 
A sober,  serious,  scientific  game  ; 

To  whose  unwearied  pains,  while  here  below, 

The  great,  th’  important  privilege  we  owe, 

That  random  strokes  disgrace  our  play  no  more, 

But  skill  presides,  where  all  was  chance  before. 

Come  then,  my  friend,  my  teacher,  and  my  guide, 
Where’er  thy  shadowy  ghost  may  now  reside  ; 
Perhaps  (for  Nature  ev’ry  change  defies, 

Nor  ev’n  with  death  our  ruling  passion  dies) 

With  fond  regret  it  hovers  still,  unseen, 

Around  the  tempting  boards  array’d  in  green  ; 

Still  with  delight  its  fav’rite  game  regards, 

And  tho’  it  plays  no  more  o’erlooks  the  cards. 

Come  then,  thou  glory  of  Britannia’s  isle, 

On  this  attempt  propitious  deign  to  smile  ; 


68 


WHIST. 


Let  all  thy  skill  th’  unerring  page  inspire, 

And  all  thy  zeal  my  raptur’d  bosom  fire.” 

Hoyle’s  name  also  finds  a place  in  Don  Juan. 
Byron,  in  saying  that  Troy  owes  to  Homer  what 
Whist  owes  to  Hoyle,  scarcely  does  justice  to 
Hoyle,  who  was  rather  the  founder  than  the  his- 
torian of  Whist. 

The  “ Short  Treatise”  appeared  just  in  the 
nick  of  time,  when  Whist  was  rising  in  repute, 
and  when  card-playing  was  the  rage.  The  work 
became  the  authority  almost  from  the  date  of  its 
appearance. 

In  1760,  the  laws  of  the  game  were  revised  by 
the  members  of  White’s  and  Saunders’s  Choco- 
late-houses, then  the  head-quarters  of  fashionable 
play.  These  revised  laws  (nearly  all  Hoyle)  are 
given  in  every  edition  of  Hoyle  from  this  date. 
Hoyle’s  laws,  as  they  were  called,  guided  all 
Whist  coteries  for  a hundred  and  four  years  ; 
when  the  Arlington  (now  Turf)  and  Portland 
Clubs  re-revised  the  code  of  the  Chocolate- 
houses.  The  code  agreed  to  by  the  Committees 
of  both  Clubs  was  adopted  in  1864;  it  shortly 
found  its  way  into  all  Whist  circles,  deposed 
Hoyle,  and  is  now  (1874)  the  standard  by  which 
disputed  points  are  determined  in  England. 

One  of  the  chief  seats  of  card-playing,  and 
consequently  of  Whist-playing,  during  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  was  Bath.  Even  Mr.  Pickwick 
is  depicted  playing  Whist  there  with  Miss  Bolo, 


WHIST. 


69 


against  the  Dowager  Lady  Snuphanuph  and  Mrs. 
Colonel  Wugsby,  in  a passage  too  well  known  to 
require  quotation.  Mr.  Pickwick’s  visit  was  at  a 
date  when  the  chief  glories  of  Bath  had  departed. 
The  first  edition  of  Matthews’  “ Advice  to  the 
Young  Whist  Player,  containing  most  of  the 
Maxims  of  the  old  School,  with  the  Author’s  Ob- 
servations on  those  he  thinks  erroneous”  (1804), 
was  published  at  Bath. 

Early  in  this  century,  the  points  of  the  game 
were  altered  from  ten  to  five,  and  calling  honours 
was  abolished.  It  is  doubtful  whether  this 
change  was  for  the  better.  In  the  Author’s 
opinion  Long  Whist  (ten  up)  is  a more  scientific 
game  than  Short  Whist  (five  up)  ; Short  Whist, 
however,  has  taken  such  a hold,  that  there  is  no 
chance  of  reverting  to  Long.  According  to  Clay 
(“Short  Whist,”  1864),  the  alteration  took  place 
under  the  following  circumstances  : “Some  sixty 
or  seventy  years  back,  Lord  Peterborough  hav- 
ing one  night  lost  a large  sum  of  money,  the 
friends  with  whom  he  was  playing  proposed  to 
make  the  game  five  points  instead  of  ten,  in  order 
to  give  the  loser  a chance,  at  a quicker  game, 
of  recovering  his  loss.  The  late  Mr.  Hoare,  of 
Bath,  a very  good  whist-player,  and  without  a 
superior  at  piquet,  was  one  of  this  party,  and  has 
more  than  once  told  me  the  story.  The  new 
game  was  found  to  be  so  lively,  and  money 
changed  hands  with  such  increased  rapidity,  that 
these  gentlemen  and  their  friends,  all  of  them 


7o 


WHIST. 


members  of  the  leading  clubs  of  the  day,  con- 
tinued to  play  it.  It  became  general  in  the 
clubs — thence  was  introduced  in  private  houses — 
travelled  into  the  country — went  to  Paris,  and 
has  long  since  * * * entirely  superseded 

the  whist  of  Hoyle’s  day.” 

Long  Whist  has  long  been  known  in  France, 
but  it  was  not  a popular  game  in  that  country. 
Hoyle  has  been  several  times  translated  into 
French.  Whist  was  played  by  Louis  XV.,  and 
under  the  first  Empire  was  a favourite  game 
with  Josephine  and  Marie  Louise.  It  is  on  rec- 
ord (“  Diaries  of  a Lady  of  Quality,”  2d  Ed.  p. 
128),  that  Napoleon  used  to  play  Whist  at  Wiir- 
temburg,  but  not  for  money,  and  that  he  played 
ill  and  inattentively.  One  evening,  when  the 
Queen  Dowager  was  playing  against  him  with 
her  husband  and  his  daughter  (the  Queen  of 
Westphalia,  the  wife  of  Jerome),  the  King 
stopped  Napoleon,  who  was  taking  up  a trick 
that  did  not  belong  to  him,  saying,  “ Sire , on  ne 
joice pas  ici  en  conquer ant .”  After  the  restoration, 
Whist  was  taken  up  in  France  more  enthusiasti- 
cally. “ The  Nobles,”  says  a French  writer, 
“ had  gone  to  England  to  learn  to  Think,  and 
they  brought  back  the  thinking  game  with  them.” 
Talleyrand  was  a Whist  player,  and  his  mot  to 
the  youngster  who  boasted  his  ignorance  of  the 
game  is  well  known.  “ Vous  ne savez pas  le  Whiste , 
jeune  homme  ? Quelle  triste  vieillesse  vous  vous 
preparez  ! ” Charles  X.  is  reported  to  have  been 


WHIST. 


71 


playing  Whist  at  St.  Cloud,  on  July  29,  1830, 
when  the  tricolor  was  waving  on  the  Tuileries, 
and  he  had  lost  his  throne. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  “ finest  Whist  player  ” 
who  ever  lived  should  have  been,  according  to 
Clay,  a Frenchman,  M.  Deschapelles  (born  1780, 
died  1847).  He  published  in  1839  a fragment  of 
a “ Traite  du  Whiste ,”  which  treats  mainly  of 
the  laws,  and  is  of  but  little  value  to  the  Whist 
player. 

Before  leaving  this  historical  sketch,  a few 
words  may  be  added  respecting  the  modern 
literature  of  the  game.  So  far  as  the  present 
work  is  concerned,  its  raison  d'etre  is  explained 
in  the  preface  to  the  first  edition.  How  far  it 
has  fulfilled  the  conditions  of  its  being,  it  is 
not  for  the  author  to  say.  It  was  followed, 
however,  by  three  remarkable  books,  which  call 
for  a short  notice. 

In  1864,  appeared  “ Short  Whist,”  by  J.  C. 
(James  Clay).  Clay’s  work  is  an  able  dissertation 
on  the  game,  by  the  most  brilliant  player  of  his 
day.  He  was  Chairman  of  the  Committee  ap- 
pointed to  revise  the  Laws  of  Whist  in  1863. 
He  sat  in  Parliament  for  many  years,  being  M.P. 
for  Hull  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1873. 

In  1865,  William  Pole,  F.R.S.,  Mus.  Doc.  Oxon, 
published  “ The  Theory  of  the  Modern  Scientific 
Game  of  Whist,”  a work  which  contains  a lucid 
explanation  of  the  fundamental  principles  of 
scientific  play,  addressed  especially  to  novices, 


72 


• WHIST* 


but  of  considerable  value  to  players  of  all  grades. 
In  1883,  Dr.  Pole  issued  another  volume,  called 
“ The  Philosophy  of  Whist.”  This  is  an  essay 
on  the  scientific  and  intellectual  aspects  of  the 
modern  game.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts, 
“The  Philosophy  of  Whist  Play”  and  “The 
Philosophy  of  Whist  Probabilities,”  the  latter 
having  been  strangely  neglected  since  the  pub- 
lication of  Hoyle’s  “ Essay  towards  Making  the 
Doctrine  of  Chances  Easy  ” (1754). 

These  books  exhibit  the  game  both  theoretically 
and  practically,  in  the  perfect  state  at  which  it 
has  arrived  during  the  two  centuries  that  have 
elapsed  since  Whist  assumed  a definite  shape  and 
took  its  present  name. 

It  is  only  within  the  last  few  years  that  Whist 
has  become  a popular  game  in  America,  the  na- 
tional games  being  Euchre  and  Poker.  About 
1870,  the  merits  of  Whist  were  recognised  by  a 
number  of  gentlemen  in  the  United  States  ; the 
game  was  carefully  studied  ; Whist  clubs  were 
formed  ; and  finally  the  American  Whist  League 
was  constituted  in  1891.  This  organization  of 
American  Whist  Clubs  has  done  much  in  the 
cause  of  Whist.  The  League  has  now  (1895) 
affiliated  to  it  a hundred  and  twenty-eight  clubs 
which  extend  to  each  other  hospitality  and  mu- 
tual courtesies  ; it  has  revised  the  Laws  ; and  it 
holds  an  annual  Congress,  at  which  handsome 
prizes  are  given. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  WHIST. 


PART  I. 

GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

Before  entering  on  an  analysis  of  the  general 
principles  of  the  Game  of  Whist,  it  is  advisable 
to  explain  shortly  on  what  foundation  these 
principles  rest  ; for  it  might  be  supposed  that  a 
demonstration  of  the  propositions  contained  in 
these  pages  is  about  to  be  offered  ; that  the 
chances  for  and  against  all  possible  systems  of 
play  have  been  calculated  ; and  that  the  one 
here  upheld  can  be  proved  to  be  certainly  right, 
and  all  others  certainly  wrong.  Such  a view 
would  be  altogether  erroneous.  The  problem  is 
far  too  intricate  to  admit  of  being  treated  with 
mathematical  precision.  The  conclusion  that  the 
chances  are  in  favour  of  a certain  line  of  play  is 
not  arrived  at  by  abstract  calculation,  but  by 
general  reasoning,  confirmed  by  the  accumulated 
experience  of  practised  players.  The  student 
must  not,  therefore,  expect  absolute  proof.  He 
must  frequently  be  satisfied  if  the  reasons  given 
appear  weighty  in  themselves,  and  none  weightier 
can  be  suggested  on  the  other  side  ; and  also 
with  the  assurance  that  the  method  of  play  rec- 
ommended in  this  work  is  for  the  most  part  that 
which,  having  stood  the  test  of  time,  is  generally 
adopted. 


76 


WHIST. 


THE  FIRST  HAND  OR  LEAD. 


The  considerations  that  determine  the  most 
advantageous  card  to  lead  at  the  commencement 
of  a hand  differ  from  those  which  regulate  the 
lead  at  other  periods  ; for,  at  starting,  the  Doc- 
trine of  Probabilities  is  the  only  guide  ; while,  as 
the  hand  advances,  each  player  is  able,  with  more 
or  less  certainty,  to  draw  inferences  as  to  the 
position  of  some  of  the  remaining  cards.  The 
number  of  the  inferences,  and  the  certainty  with 
which  they  can  be  drawn  from  the  previous  play, 
constantly  increase  ; hence  it  not  unfrequently 
happens  that,  towards  the  termination  of  a hand, 
the  position  of  every  material  card  is  known. 

In  treating  of  the  lead,  it  will  be  most  conven- 
ient to  begin  by  examining  the  principles  which 
govern  the  original  lead.  The  application  of 
these  principles  will  require  to  be  somewhat 
modified  in  the  case  of  trumps,  as  will  appear 
hereafter. 

1.  LEAD  ORIGINALLY  FROM  YOUR 
STRONGEST  SUIT. 

The  first  question  that  arises  is,  Which  is  the 
strongest  suit  ? A suit  may  be  strong  in  two  dis- 
tinct ways.  i.  It  may  contain  more  than  its  pro- 
portion of  high  cards.  For  example,  it  may  con- 


WHIST. 


77 


tain  two  or  more  honours — one  honour  in  each 
suit  being  the  average  for  each  hand.  2.  It  may 
consist  of  more  than  the  average  number  of  cards, 
in  which  case  it  is  a numerically  strong  or  long 
suit.  Thus  a suit  of  four  cards  has  numerical 
strength  ; a suit  of  five  cards  great  numerical 
strength.  On  the  other  hand,  a suit  of  three 
cards  is  numerically  weak. 

In  selecting  a suit  for  the  lead,  numerical 
strength  is  the  principal  point  to  look  to  ; for  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  aces  and  kings  are 
not  the  only  cards  which  make  tricks  ; twos  and 
threes  may  become  quite  as  valuable  when  the 
suit  is  established — i.e .,  when  the  higher  cards  of 
the  suit  are  exhausted.  To  obtain  for  your  own 
small  cards  a value  that  does  not  intrinsically 
belong  to  them,  and  to  prevent  the  adversary 
from  obtaining  it  for  his,  is  evidently  an  advan- 
tage. Both  these  ends  are  advanced  by  choos- 
ing for  your  original  lead  the  suit  in  which  you 
have  the  greatest  numerical  strength  ; for  you 
may  establish  a suit  of  this  description,  while, 
owing  to  your  strength,  it  is  precisely  the  suit 
which  the  adversary  has  the  smallest  chance  of 
establishing  against  you.  A suit  that  is  numeri- 
cally weak,  though  otherwise  strong,  is  far  less 
eligible. 

Suppose,  for  example,  you  have  five  cards 
headed  by  (say)  a ten  in  one  suit,  and  ace,  king, 
and  one  other  (say  the  two)  in  another  suit.  If 
you  lead  from  the  ace,  king,  two  suit,  all  your 


78 


WHIST. 


power  is  exhausted  as  soon  as  you  have  parted 
with  the  ace  and  king,  and  you  have  given  the 
holder  of  numerical  strength  a capital  chance  of 
establishing  the  suit.  It  is  true  that  this  fortu- 
nate person  may  be  your  partner  ; but  it  is  twice 
as  likely  that  he  is  your  adversary,  since  you 
have  two  adversaries  and  only  one  partner. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  you  lead  from  the  five 
suit,  though  your  chance  of  establishing  it  is 
slight,  you,  at  all  events,  avoid  assisting  your 
adversary  to  establish  his  ; the  ace  and  king  of 
your  three  suit,  still  remaining  in  your  hand, 
enable  you  to  prevent  the  establishment  of  that 
suit,  and  may  procure  you  the  lead  at  an  ad- 
vanced period  of  the  hand.  This  we  shall  find 
as  we  proceed  is  a great  advantage,  especially 
if,  in  the  course  of  play,  you  are  left  with  all  the 
unplayed  cards,  or  long  cards , of  your  five  suit. 

The  best  suit  of  all  to  lead  from  is,  of  course, 
one  which  combines  both  elements  of  strength. 

In  opening  a suit,  there  is  always  the  danger 
of  finding  your  partner  very  weak,  or  of  leading 
up  to  a tenace  (/. e. , the  best  and  third  best  cards, 
or  the  second  best  guarded)  in  the  hand  of  the 
fourth  player.  If  you  lead  from  a very  strong 
suit,  these  dangers  are  more  than  compensated 
for  by  the  advantages  just  explained  ; if  your 
best  suit  is  only  moderately  strong,  the  lead  is 
not  profitable,  but  rather  the  reverse.  If  all 
your  suits  are  weak,  the  lead  is  very  disadvan- 
tageous. The  hand,  however  weak,  must  hold 


WHIST. 


79 


one  suit  of  four  at  least,  and  this,  if  only  com- 
posed of  small  cards,  should  generally  be  chosen. 
Being  unable  to  strike  the  adversary,  you  take 
the  best  chance  of  not  assisting  him. 

It  follows  that  a suit  consisting  of  a single  card 
is  a very  disadvantageous  one  to  lead  from ; yet 
such  a lead  is  not  uncommon,  even  among  players 
of  some  experience.  The  reason  assigned  in 
favour  of  this  lead  is  the  possibility  of  making 
small  trumps.  But  it  is  important  to  observe, 
that  you  stand  very  nearly  as  good  a chance  of 
making  trumps  by  waiting  for  some  one  else 
to  open  the  suit.  If  the  suit  is  opened  by  the 
strong  hand,  your  barrenness  will  not  be  sus- 
pected ; you  will  be  able,  if  necessary,  to  win  the 
second  round,  while  you  will  be  free  from  the 
guilt  of  having  sacrificed  any  high  card  your 
partner  may  have  possessed  in  the  suit,  or  of 
having  assisted  in  establishing.a  suit  for  the  ad- 
versary. Again,  your  partner,  if  strong  in  trumps, 
will  very  likely  draw  yours,  and  then  return  your 
lead,  imagining  you  led  from  strength.  If,  in- 
deed, he  is  a shrewd  player,  Re  will,  after  being 
taken  in  once  or  twice,  accommodate  his  game 
to  yours  ; but  he  can  never  be  sure  of  the  char- 
acter of  your  lead,  and  may  often  miss  a great 
game  by  not  being  able  to  depend  upon  you.  If 
you  have  great  numerical  strength  in  trumps,  the 
evils  of  a single-card  lead  are  lessened  ; but  in 
this  case,  as  will  hereafter  be  shown,  it  is  gener- 
ally right  to  lead  trumps.  In  the  opinion  of  the 


8o 


WHIST. 


Author,  it  may  be  laid  down  as  an  axiom,  that  in 
plain  suits  (i.e.,  in  suits  not  trumps)  the  original 
lead  of  a single  card  is  in  no  case  defensible. 

Many  players  will  not  lead  from  a strong  suit 
if  headed  by  a tenace  ; preferring,  for  instance, 
to  lead  from  ten,  nine,  three,  to  ace,  queen,  four, 
two.  They  argue,  that  by  holding  up  the  ace, 
queen  suit,  they  stand  a better  chance  of  catching 
the  king.  So  far  they  are  right ; but  they  pur- 
chase this  advantage  too  dearly  ; for  the  proba- 
ble loss  from  leading  the  weak  suit  may  be  taken 
as  greater  than  the  probable  gain  from  holding 
up  the  tenace. 

2.  LEAD  YOUR  FOURTH-BEST  CARD. 

The  question  next  arises,  Which  card  of  the 
strong  suit  should  be  led  originally  ? The  key 
to  this  problem  is  furnished  by  the  remark,  that 
it  conduces  to  the  ultimate  establishment  of  a 
suit  to  keep  the  high  or  commanding  cards  of  it 
in  the  hand  that  has  numerical  strength.  In  the 
suit  of  your  own  choosing,  you  are  presumably 
stronger  than  your  partner  ; it  is  therefore  un- 
desirable at  once  to  part  with  your  high  cards. 
Hence  it  is  best,  in  general,  to  lead  a small  one. 
Your  partner,  actuated  by  a desire  to  assist  in 
establishing  your  strong  suit,  will  play  his  high- 
est card  to  your  lead  (see  Play  of  Third  Hand), 
and,  if  he  fails  to  win  the  trick,  will,  at  all  events, 
force  a higher  card  from  the  fourth  player,  and 


WHIST. 


8l 


so  help  to  clear  the  suit  for  you.  Another  rea- 
son in  favour  of  leading  a low  card  is,  that  it  in- 
creases your  chance  of  making  tricks  on  the  first 
two  rounds.  For,  on  the  first  round  of  a suit, 
the  second  hand  generally  plays  his  smallest  card, 
as  will  be  seen  hereafter.  If,  therefore,  you 
originally  lead  the  smallest,  holding  ace  and 
three  others,  the  first  trick  will,  in  all  probability, 
lie  between  your  partner  and  the  last  player  ; and 
since  there  is  no  reason  why  the  fourth  player 
should  hold  a better  card  than  the  third,  it  is 
nearly  an  even  chance  that  your  partner  wins 
the  trick.  It  is  certain  (bar  trumping)  that  you 
win  the  second  round  ; therefore,  if  the  suit  is 
led  this  way,  it  is  about  an  even  chance  that 
you  make  the  first  two  tricks.  But  if  you  lead 
out  the  ace  first,  it  is  two  to  one  against  your 
making  the  second  trick,  for  the  adversaries 
have  two  hands  against  your  partner’s  one,  and 
either  may  hold  the  king.  A third  reason  for 
leading  a low  card  of  your  suit  is,  that  your 
partner  may  prove  utterly  weak  in  it  ; and  in 
this  case  it  is  important  that  you  keep  a com- 
manding card,  to  stop  the  adversary  from  estab- 
lishing it. 

From  four  cards,  then,  you  lead  your  lowest, 
or  fourth-best . From  more  than  four  cards  you 
still  lead  your  fourth-best,  as  a card  of  protection 
and  information.  The  protection  obtains  in  the 
case  in  which  your  partner  holds  no  high  card 
in  the  suit.  Thus  : — From  king,  ten,  nine,  eight, 
6 


82 


WHIST. 


two,  you  lead  the  eight,  not  the  two.  The  lowest 
adverse  card,  that  can  win  the  trick,  is  the  knave. 
The  information  given  by  the  lead  of  the  fourth- 
best  is,  that  you  remain  with  three  cards  of  the 
suit,  higher  than  the  one  first  led.  The  knowl- 
edge of  the  nature  of  the  combination  led  from, 
thus  imparted,  may  be  very  valuable.  For  ex- 
ample : — You  lead  an  eight.  Your  partner  holds 
king,  ten  of  the  suit,  and  plays  the  king,  which 
is  won  fourth  hand  by  the  ace.  Your  partner 
now  knows  that  you  hold  queen,  knave,  nine. 
This  he  could  not  have  told  had  you  led  the 
seven,  or  a smaller  card. 

It  may  be  that  your  partner  has  a card  in 
sequence  with  yours,  and  that  he  plays  it  on 
your  fourth-best.  For  instance  : — You  lead  eight 
from  queen,  ten,  nine,  eight,  and  one  or  more 
small  ones.  Your  partner’s  best  card  is  the  knave. 
Had  you  led  a smaller  card,  he  would  still  have 
played  the  knave.  But  no  harm  is  done  by  your 
parting  with  the  eight.  The  knave  forces,  say, 
the  king.  On  the  second  round,  one  of  your 
high  cards  forces  the  ace,  and  you  then  hold 
two  winning  cards  in  the  suit.  And,  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind,  that  it  conduces  to  the  ulti- 
mate establishment  of  your  suit,  for  your  partner’s 
knave  to  be  out  of  his  hand.  Suppose,  for  in- 
stance, that  he  held  knave  and  three  small  ones 
originally,  and  that  you  had  led  the  ten.  Your 
partner  preserves  the  knave.  After  three  rounds 
of  the  suit,  if  he  still  has  the  knave  in  his  hand. 


whist. 


83 


your  small  cards  are  useless,  unless  you  obtain 
the  lead  again  in  some  other  suit,  after  your 
partner  has  played  the  knave. 

Again  : — Suppose  you  lead  from  king,  ten, 
nine,  eight,  and  that  your  partner’s  only  high 
card  is  the  queen.  The  lead  of  the  ten  would 
probably  induce  him  to  finesse.  By  finessing  is 
meant  playing  an  inferior  card,  though  holding 
a higher  one  of  the  suit,  not  in  sequence  with 
the  card  played.  Thus,  to  continue  the  illus- 
tration : — You  lead  the  ten,  and  your  partner, 
holding  the  queen,  plays  a small  card.  He  thus 
gives  the  adversary  a chance  of  making  the  knave 
on  the  first  round,  and  of  retaining  the  ace, 
notwithstanding  that  you  and  your  partner  hold 
king  and  queen  of  the  suit  between  you.  If 
you  lead  the  eight,  and  your  partner  puts  on  the 
queen,  you  have  the  option  of  finessing  on  the 
second  round,  and  this  is  much  more  advan- 
tageous than  your  partner’s  passing  the  ten.  In 
the  first  place,  the  finesse  is  postponed,  when, 
more  cards  having  been  played,  you  have  more 
data  to  guide  you  as  to  the  policy  of  making 
the  finesse  ; and,  in  the  next  place,  if  you  have 
a choice  as  to  whether  you  or  your  partner 
shall  finesse  in  your  strong  suit,  it  is,  as  a 
rule,  more  advantageous  for  you  to  do  it.  For, 
as  already  explained,  the  establishment  of  a suit 
is  furthered  if  the  strong  hand  retains  the  com- 
mand, and  the  presumably  weak  hand  plays  his 
high  cards. 


84 


WHIST. 


There  are  two  exceptions  to  the  rule  of  origi- 
nally leading  the  fourth-best  of  a strong  suit : — 
i.  When  you  lead  from  ace,  with  four  or  more 
small  ones,  in  plain  suits.  In  this  case,  it  is  con- 
sidered best  to  begin  with  the  ace,  lest  the  suit 
should  be  trumped  on  the  second  ro.und.  2. 
When  your  suit  contains  certain  combinations  of 
high  cards,  it  is  advisable  to  lead  a high  card,  in 
order  to  make  sure  of  preventing  the  adversary 
from  winning  the  first  trick  with  a very  low  card. 
The  combinations  from  which  a high  card  should 
be  led  in  plain  suits,  are  those  which  include 
either  ace,  king  ; or  ace,  queen,  knave  ; or  king, 
queen  ; or  king,  knave,  ten  ; or  queen,  knave,  ten. 

The  card  to  be  selected,  when  leading  from 
one  of  these  combinations,  has  been  the  subject 
of  careful  examination.  The  result  of  this  ex- 
amination, for  both  plain  suits  and  trumps,  will 
be  found  in  the  Analysis  of  Leads,  which  fol- 
lows. This  analysis  should  be  familiarly  known, 
not  only  that  you  may  lead  correctly  yourself, 
but  that  you  may  also  be  able  to  infer  the  cards 
the  other  players  hold,  by  observing  what  they 
lead. 


[For  a full  examination  of  the  Theory  of  the  Lead,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  “Whist  Developments,”  by  “Caven- 
dish.” London:  Thos.  De  La  Rue  & Co.  New  York: 
Charles  Scribner’s  Sons.] 


WHIST. 


85 


Analysis  of  leads  in  detail. 


Ace , king , qiieen,  knave . 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  king,  then  knave. 

With  five  in  suit  (even  if  you  also  hold  the 
ten),  lead  knave,  then  ace. 

With  six  in  suit,  lead  knave,  then  king. 

With  more  than  six  in  suit,  lead  knave,  then 
queen. 

Obvious  alterations  on  account  of  the  trump 
card  are  omitted.  Thus,  if  partner  has  turned 
up  the  ten,  you  lead  a small  one  from  ace,  king, 
queen,  knave  and  small. 

When  opening  a plain  suit,  headed  by  ace, 
king,  after  having  trumped  another  suit,  lead 
the  ace.  If  you  begin  with  any  other  card,  and 
your  partner  happens  to  have  none  of  the  suit, 
he  might  trump  a king  or  a smaller  card,  in 
order  to  lead  again  the  suit  you  have  already 
trumped. 


86 


WHIST. 


Ace,  king , queen . 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  king,  then  queen. 

With  five  in  suit,  lead  queen,  then  ace. 

With  more  than  five  in  suit,  lead  queen,  then 
king. 


Ace,  king,  knave . 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  king,  then  ace.  If  the 
queen  falls  to  the  king,  lead  knave.  This  ap- 
plies to  all  cases  in  which  intermediate  cards 
fall,  and  you  remain  with  the  card  next  in  se- 
quence to  the  one  led. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  ace,  then 
king. 

Whether  the  lead  is  from  four  or  more  than 
four,  if  you  change  the  suit  after  the  first  lead, 
it  is  an  indication  that  you  want  your  first  suit 
returned,  in  order  to  finesse  the  knave,  espe- 
cially in  trumps,  when  queen  is  turned  up  to  your 
right.  It  is  often  advisable  not  to  wait  for  the 
finesse.  No  positive  rule  can  be  laid  down. 


Ace,  king,  and  small . 

With  four,  in  plain  suits,  lead  king,  then  ace. 

With  more  than  four,  in  plain  suits,  lead  ace, 
then  king.  Ace  led  shows  great  numerical 


WHIST. 


87 


strength.  This  is  deemed  to  be  of  more  con- 
sequence than  the  temporary  concealment  of  the 
king. 

In  trumps , lead  the  fourth-best,  unless  you  have 
more  than  six  trumps. 


Ace,  queen , knave , ten. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  ace,  then  ten. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  ace  then 
knave. 


Ace,  queen , knave , and  small. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  ace,  then  queen. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  ace,  then 
knave. 


Ace,  queen , ten. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  fourth-best. 

In  trumps , lead  the  fourth-best,  unless  you 
have  more  than  six  trumps  ; and,  when  knave  is 
turned  up  to  your  right,  lead  queen. 


Ace,  knave , ten,  nine. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  nine. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  ace,  then  nine. 
In  trumps , lead  nine,  unless  you  have  more 
than  six  trumps. 


88 


WHIST. 


Ace  and  small , 

including  all  strong  suits  headed  by  ace,  other 
than  those  already  enumerated. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  lowest. 

With  more  than  four,  in  plain  suits , lead  ace, 
then  fourth-best  of  those  remaining  in  hand. 

In  trumps , lead  the  fourth-best,  unless  you 
have  more  than  six  trumps. 


King , queen , knave , ten. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  king,  then  ten. 

With  five  in  suit,  lead  knave,  then  king. 

With  more  than  five  in  suit,  lead  knave,  then 
queen. 

King , queen , knave. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  king,  then  knave. 

With  five  in  suit,  lead  knave,  then  king. 

With  more  than  five  in  suit,  lead  knave,  then 
queen. 

King , queen , ten  (in  trumps ). 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  king. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  queen. 


WHIST. 


89 


King,  queen , and  small . 

With  four,  in  plain  suits , lead  king. 

With  more  than  four,  in  plain  suits , lead  queen. 

If  the  queen  wins,  then  fourth-best  of  those 
remaining  in  hand. 

In  trumps , lead  the  fourth-best,  unless  you  have 
more  than  six  trumps,  when  lead  queen. 


King , knave , ten , nine . 

Lead  nine,  even  if  you  also  hold  the  eight. 

If  the  nine  forces  the  ace,  and  not  the  queen, 
next  lead  king. 

If  the  nine  forces  the  queen,  or  both  ace  and 
queen  ; — 

With  four  in  suit  originally,  lead  king 
after  nine. 

With  five  in  suit  originally,  lead  knave 
after  nine. 

With  more  than  five  in  suit  originally, 
lead  ten  after  nine. 


9° 


WHIST. 


King , knave , ten. 

Lead  ten. 

If  the  ten  wins  the  trick,  lead  lowest  after  ten  ; 
with  more  than  five  in  suit  originally,  fourth- 
best  of  those  remaining  in  hand. 

If  the  ten  forces  the  ace,  and  not  the  queen, 
next  lead  king. 

If  the  ten  forces  the  queen,  or  both  ace  and 
queen  ; — 

With  four  in  suit  originally,  lead  king 
after  ten. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit  originally, 
lead  knave  after  ten. 


King , knave , nine  (in  trumps). 

If  ten  is  turned  up  to  your  right,  lead  knave. 


King , and  small , 

including  all  strong  suits  headed  by  king,  other 
than  those  already  enumerated. 

Lead  the  fourth-best. 


WHIST. 


91 


Queen , knave , /<?/?,  7z//z<?. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  queen,  then  nine. 

With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  queen,  then 
ten. 


Queen , knave , ten. 

With  four  in  suit,  lead  queen,  then  knave. 
With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  queen,  then 
ten. 

Queen , knave , nine  (in  trumps). 

If  ten  is  turned  up  to  your  right,  lead  queen. 


Queen , and  small , 

including  all  strong  suits  headed  by  queen,  other 
than  those  already  enumerated. 

Lead  the  fourth-best. 


Knave , ten , 

//z lead  fourth-best. 

This  lead  is  disputed  ; some  players  lead  knave. 
The  result  of  recent  calculation  tends  to  show 
that  the  fourth-best  is  to  be  preferred. 


92 


WHIST. 


In  trumps , knave  is  generally  led  from  knave, 
ten,  nine  suits,  especially  if  king  or  queen  is 
turned  up  to  your  left.  When  knave  is  led  from 
knave , ten , nine , eight , four  in  suit,  lead  eight  after 
knave.  With  more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  nine 
after  knave.  And,  when  knave  is  led  from  knave , 
ten,  nine , four  in  suit,  lead  ten  after  knave.  With 
more  than  four  in  suit,  lead  nine  after  knave. 


Knave , ten , eight  (in  trumps'). 

If  nine  is  turned  up  to  your  right,  lead  knave 


Knave , small. , 

including  all  strong  suits  headed  by  knave,  othei 
than  those  already  enumerated. 

Lead  the  fourth-best. 


Suits  of  four  or  more  cards  without  an  honour . 
Lead  the  fourth-best. 


WHIST. 


93 


INFERENCES  FROM  THE  ANALYSIS. 

If  ace  is  led  originally,  you  infer  a lead  from, 

(a)  A suit  of  five  or  more  cards  ; or, 

( b .)  Ace,  queen,  knave,  four  or  more  cards. 

If  king  is  led  originally,  you  infer  a lead  from, 

(a.)  Ace,  king,  four  in  suit ; or, 

( b .)  King,  queen,  four  in  suit. 

If  queen  is  led  originally,  you  infer  a lead  from, 

(a.)  Ace,  king,  queen,  five  or  more  in  suit ; or, 
( b .)  King,  queen,  five  or  more  in  suit ; or, 
(c.)  Queen,  knave,  ten,  four  or  more  in  suit. 

If  knave  is  led  originally,  you  infer  a lead  from, 

(a.)  Ace,  king,  queen,  knave,  five  or  more  in 
suit ; or, 

(b.)  King,  queen,  knave,  five  or  more  in  suit  ; 
or, 

(r.)  In  trumps , knave,  ten,  nine,  four  or  more 
in  suit. 

It  will  be  gathered  from  these  inferences,  that 
the  third  hand,  holding  none  of  the  suit,  should 
not  trump  an  honour  led  originally. 

If  ten  is  led  originally,  you  infer  a lead  from 
king,  knave,  ten. 

If  a lower  card  than  a ten  is  led  originally, 
you  infer  three  cards  higher  than  the  one  led 


94 


WHIST. 


in  the  leader’s  hand.  In  the  case  of  nine  led, 
the  three  cards  must  be  ace,  queen,  ten  ; or  ace, 
knave,  ten  ; or  king,  knave,  ten. 

When  there  is  an  alternative,  the  fall  of  the 
cards,  or  the  cards  in  your  own  hand,  will  often 
disclose  the  precise  nature  of  the  combination 
led  from.  Thus,  if  knave  of  a plain  suit  is  led, 
and  it  is  won  by  the  ace,  or  you  hold  the  ace, 
you  know  the  leader  to  hold  king,  queen,  and 
at  least  two  others. 

The  second  lead  will  determine  the  number 
of  cards  led  from,  when  the  leader  remains  with 
two  high  indifferent  cards.  He  leads  the  higher 
from  the  minimum  number  he  can  hold  ; the 
lower,  if  he  has  more.  Thus  : — If  knave  of  a 
plain  suit  is  led,  the  minimum  held  is  five.  If, 
on  the  second  lead,  king  (the  higher  of  the  two 
indifferent  cards,  king,  queen),  is  led,  the  leader 
has  two  small  cards  of  his  suit,  exactly  ; if,  on 
the  second  lead,  queen  (the  lower  of  the  two 
indifferent  cards)  is  led,  the  leader  has  more  than 
two  small  cards. 


WHIST. 


95 


3.  LEAD  THE  HIGHEST  OF  A NUMER- 
ICALLY WEAK  SUIT. 

When  it  is  your  fate  to  open  a numerically  weak 
suit,  your  object  should  be  to  do  as  little  harm  as 
possible.  You  cannot  expect  to  win  many  tricks, 
so  you  must  do  all  you  can  to  assist  or  strengthen 
your  partner  by  leading  high  or  strengthening 
cards ; for,  by  leading  the  highest  of  a suit 
numerically  weak,  you  take  the  best  chance 
of  keeping  the  strength  in  your  partner’s  hand, 
should  he  happen  to  hold  it. 

You  will  not  often  be  driven  to  open  a weak  suit 
originally,  as  one  of  your  suits  must  contain  as 
many  as  four  cards.  But  it  may  so  turn  out  that 
your  four-card  suit  is  composed  of  very  small  cards 
indeed,  in  which  case  you  might  prefer  to  open  a 
suit  containing  better  cards,  though  numerically 
weaker.  Every  one  can  see  that  ace,  king, 
queen,  is  a better  suit  to  open  than  five,  four, 
three,  two  ; but,  as  you  descend  in  one  scale 
and  ascend  in  the  other,  there  comes  a point 
where  the  two  descriptions  of  strength  nearly  or 
quite  balance.  With  hands  containing  only  a 
suit  of  four  small  cards — say  none  higher  than 
the  seven  or  eight,  and  suits  of  three  cards  of 
higher  value — the  choice  is  sometimes  difficult. 
Also,  with  hands  in  which  your  only  four-card 
suit  is  the  trump  suit,  you  might  sometimes  deem 
it  advisable  to  open  one  of  the  other  suits,  as  a 
smaller  evil  than  leading  a trump.  As  a rule. 


96 


WHIST. 


when  you  are  in  doubt,  stick  to  the  general  prin- 
ciple, and  lead  from  your  four-card  suit,  even 
though  it  is  the  trump  suit. 

Whenever  you  decide  on  opening  a suit  of  but 
three  cards,  choose,  if  possible,  one  in  which  you 
hold  a sequence  which  may  be  of  benefit  to  your 
partner,  as  queen,  knave,  ten  ; queen,  knave,  and 
one  small  one  ; knave,  ten,  and  one  other,  and  so 
on,  and  lead  the  highest.  If  you  have  no  se- 
quence, lead  from  your  strongest  weak  suit.  Thus, 
two  honours  not  in  sequence,  and  one  small  one, 
is  a better  lead  than  ace  and  two  small  ones, 
or  king  and  two  small  ones.  These,  again,  should 
be  chosen  in  preference  to  queen  and  two  small 
ones.  When  leading  from  a numerically  weak  suit 
that  contains  ace,  king,  or  queen,  but  no  sequence, 
if  you  have  any  indication  from  the  previous  play 
that  your  partner  is  strong  in  the  suit  (as  will  be 
explained  in  Section  4),  lead  the  highest.  But, 
having  no  guide  as  to  his  strength,  lead  the  lowest. 
You  run  the  risk  of  making  your  partner  think 
you  have  led  from  numerical  strength  ; but,  on 
the  other  hand,  by  leading  out  the  high  card, 
you  at  once  give  up  the  command  of  the  suit, 
and,  unless  your  partner  has  strength  in  it  (the 
chances  being  against  this),  you  leave  yourself  at 
the  mercy  of  the  opponents. 

The  case  is  different  with  numerically  weak  suits 
headed  by  a knave  or  a lower  card.  Of  these  suits 
you  should  lead  the  highest ; by  retaining  such  a 
card  as  the  knave  you  would  scarcely  ever  be  able 


WHIST. 


97 


to  stop  the  adversaries  from  establishing  the  suit, 
should  they  be  strong  in  it ; and,  by  leading  out 
the  high  card,  you  do  all  you  can  to  aid  your 
partner,  should  he  have  strength. 

Ace  and  one  other,  king  and  one  other,  or 
queen  and  one  other,  are  very  bad  suits  to  lead 
from.  By  holding  them  up  you  and  your  partner 
stand  a better  chance  of  making  tricks  in  the 
suit ; and  if  it  should  be  the  adversaries’  suit 
(the  chances  being  two  to  one  that  it  is)  you 
keep  the  power  of  obstructing  it  and  of  obtaining 
the  lead  at  advanced  periods  of  the  hand.  If  you 
lead  from  ace,  king  only,  lead  ace,  then  king. 

It  follows  that  when  you  lead  a high  card  in  the 
first  round  of  a suit,  and  in  the  next  drop  a lower 
one  (subject  to  the  rules  respecting  leads  from 
high  cards,  and  the  lead  of  fourth-best  from  five 
or  more),  your  partner  should  infer  you  have  led 
from  a weak  suit.  Thus,  suppose  you  lead  a 
knave.  If  on  the  second  round  you  lead  a higher 
card,  your  partner  knows  you  have  led  from 
commanding  strength.  But  if  on  the  second 
round  you  lead  a lower  card  not  in  sequence  with 
the  knave,  your  partner  may  be  equally  certain 
that  the  card  first  led  was  the  highest  of  your 
suit. 


4.  AVOID  CHANGING  SUITS. 

When  you  obtain  the  lead  after  one  or  more 
tricks  have  been  played,  the  question  arises 
whether  or  not  you  should  open  a fresh  suit.  If 

7 


98 


WHIST. 


you  have  had  the  lead  before,  it  is  generally  ad- 
visable to  pursue  your  original  lead,  for  you  thus 
take  the  best  chance  of  establishing  the  suit, 
and  you  open  a fresh  suit  to  a disadvantage. 

The  fall  of  the  cards  in  the  previous  rounds 
may  cause  you  to  alter  your  game.  Thus,  the 
previous  play  may  have  already  established  your 
suit,  or  may  have  so  nearly  established  it  as  to 
justify  you  in  leading  trumps,  as  hereafter  ex- 
plained ; or  your  partner  may  have  shown  a very 
strong  suit,  or  a strong  trump  hand,  which  may 
modify  your  game.  Again,  your  partner  may 
prove  utterly  weak  in  your  suit ; you  would  then 
often  discontinue  it,  unless  holding  the  winning 
cards  or  a strong  sequence,  because,  with  these 
exceptions,  your  continuing  it  gives  the  adversary 
the  opportunity  of  finessing  against  you,  and  of 
cutting  up  your  suit ; or  you  may  sometimes  dis- 
continue a suit  if  you  expect  it  will  be  trumped 
(as  will  be  further  explained  in  Sections  13-16)  ; 
but,  failing  such  indications,  it  is  best,  as  a rule, 
to  pursue  the  original  lead. 

If  you  have  not  had  the  lead  before,  it  is  in 
most  cases  advisable  to  open  your  strong  suit, 
when  you  possess  great  strength  in  any  suit,  for 
you  open  such  suit  to  advantage ; but  with  weak 
or  only  moderately  strong  suits,  which  you  open 
to  a disadvantage,  you  would,  as  a rule,  do  better 
to  return  your  partner’s  original  lead,  or  to  lead 
up  to  the  weak  suit  of  your  right-hand  adversary, 
or  through  the  strong  suit  of  your  left-hand 


WHIST. 


99 


adversary.  When  in  doubt  as  to  opening  your 
own  suit  or  returning  your  partner’s,  you  should, 
as  a general  rule,  be  guided  by  your  strength  in 
trumps.  With  a strong  trump  hand  play  your 
own  game  ; with  a weak  trump  hand  play  your 
partner’s  game. 

If  your  partner  has  had  a lead,  and  you  are 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  system  of  leading 
developed  in  Sections  2 and  3,  and  with  the 
Analysis  of  Leads,  you  will  probably  know  by  the 
value  of  the  card  he  has  led  whether  he  is  strong 
or  weak  in  that  suit.  If  you  have  no  evidence 
from  your  own  hand,  or  from  the  fall  of  the 
cards,  you  assume,  with  a good  partner,  that  his 
original  lead  was  from  strength.  But  you  mostly 
have  some  evidence  ; for  instance,  if  he  leads  a 
ten,  he  has  led  from  king,  knave,  ten  ; or  the 
ten  is  the  highest  of  his  suit.  If  you  hold — or 
either  adversary  plays — king  or  knave,  you  know 
that  your  partner  has  led  the  highest  of  his  suit. 
But,  in  the  absence  of  these  cards,  and  especially 
if  the  ten  wins  the  first  round,  or  is  taken  by  the 
ace  or  queen,  you  may  conclude  that  your  part- 
ner’s lead  was  from  strength,  and  you  would  not 
hesitate  to  return  it. 

When  you  have  won  the  first  trick  in  your 
partner’s  lead  cheaply,  you  should  avoid  return- 
ing it,  in  plain  suits,  as  the  strength  must  be 
between  your  partner  and  your  right-hand  ad- 
versary. For  example,  say  A,  Y,  B,  Z,  are  the  four 
players,  and  that  they  sit  in  this  order  round  the 


IOO 


WHIST. 


table,  so  that  A leads  and  Z is  last  player.  If  A 
leads  a small  card  of  a plain  suit,  Y plays  a small 
one,  and  B (third  player)  puts  on  his  best  card, 
the  queen,  which  wins  the  trick,  it  is  clear  that 
Z can  have  neither  ace  nor  king  ; A cannot  have 
them  both,  or  he  would  have  led  one,  therefore 
Y must  have  one  of  them  at  least ; and,  if  B re- 
turns the  lead,  he  leads  up  to  Y’s  strength,  and 
may  cut  up  his  partner’s  suit. 

By  observing  the  card  led  by  either  adversary, 
you  can  similarly  tell  whether  he  has  led  from 
strength  or  weakness  ; so  also  you  can  judge 
from  the  card  played  third  hand  by  the  adver- 
sary whether  he  is  weak,  it  being  presumed  that 
the  third  player  puts  on  his  best.  It  is  advan- 
tageous to  lead  up  to  a weak  suit,  because  you 
compel  the  second  hand  to  put  on  a high  card, 
or  give  your  partner  the  opportunity  of  finessing. 
It  is  generally  less  advantageous  to  lead  through 
a strong  suit,  unless  you  are  sure  that  the  second 
hand  is  not  very  strong,  and  that  the  fourth  hand 
is  weak.  Otherwise,  by  continuing  the  suit,  you 
may  be  establishing  it  for  the  adversary,  and 
getting  rid  of  the  command  of  it  from  your 
partner’s  hand. 

In  discussing  leads  from  weak  suits  it  was 
supposed,  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  that  the 
leader  had  no  indication  from  the  play  to  guide 
him.  But  in  practice,  in  by  far  the  greater 
number  of  cases,  weak  suits  are  opened  late  in 
a hand  when  inference  from  previous  play  has 


WHIST. 


IOI 


given  an  insight  into  the  strength  or  weakness  of 
the  several  players.  Thus,  you  commence  with 
your  strong  suit ; your  partner  fails  to  show  any 
strength  in  it.  After  several  other  tricks  are 
played  you  have  the  lead  again,  remaining  with 
(say)  king  and  two  others  of  your  drst  lead.  You 
do  not  wish  to  take  one  of  the  guards  from  your 
king,  and  you  do  not  deem  it  advisable  to  lead 
a card  which  your  partner  may  be  obliged  to 
trump.  You  therefore  try  another  suit.  By  this 
time  you  know,  either  by  the  adversaries’  leads 
what  their  strong  suits  are,  or  by  the  players’ 
discards  (/.<?.,  by  the  cards  they  throw  away  when 
notable  to  follow  suit,)  what  their  weak  suits  are, 
as  will  be  explained  under  discarding.  Guided 
by  these  indications,  you  make  choice  of  a suit 
for  your  second  lead  in  which  your  partner  is 
probably  strong,  and  under  such  circumstances 
you  would,  as  a rule,  lead  the  highest  of  the  suit 
of  your  second  choosing,  if  numerically  weak  in  it. 

When  you  have  led  a strengthening  card,  and 
it  wins  the  trick,  you  can  rarely  do  better  than 
continue  with  your  next  highest.  For  exam- 
ple : — From  queen,  knave,  and  three  you  lead  the 
queen,  which  goes  round.  It  hardly  requires  to 
be  stated  that  you  make  the  best  use  of  your 
suit  by  continuing  with  the  knave.  When  your 
strengthening  card  does  not  win,  the  course  of 
the  play  is  the  only  guide  as  to  whether  you 
should  continue  the  suit.  The  application  of 
the  considerations  advanced  in  this  Section  will 


102 


WHIST. 


generally  inform  you  where  the  strong  and  weak 
suits  lie,  and  you  will  act  accordingly,  giving 
your  partner  his  strong  suit,  or,  if  he  has  not 
shown  one,  leading  up  to  the  weak  suit  of  the 
right-hand  adversary,  or  through  the  strong  suit 
of  the  left-hand  adversary. 

It  has  several  times  been  assumed  that  it  is 
advantageous  to  have  the  lead  at  advanced  pe- 
riods of  a hand  ; we  now  see  one  principal  rea- 
son why  it  is  so.  The  leader  knows  by  observa- 
tion where  the  strong  and  the  weak  suits  lie, 
and  he  will  generally  be  able  to  make  use  of  this 
knowledge  in  assisting  his  partner,  or  in  ob- 
structing his  opponents. 

The  principles  explained  in  the  preceding  pages 
apply  mainly  to  the  original  lead,  or  to  leads  early 
in  a hand.  They  apply  also  to  leads  generally  ; 
but,  at  advanced  periods  of  the  hand,  and  tow- 
ards its  close,  their  application  is  frequently 
modified  by  inferences  from  the  previous  play, 
and  by  the  state  of  the  score.  Examples  of  de- 
parture from  the  rules  here  laid  down  will  be 
presented  in  the  illustrative  hands. 

On  the  second  round  of  a suit— 

5.  RETURN  THE  LOWEST  OF  A STRONG 
SUIT,  THE  HIGHEST  OF  A WEAK 
SUIT. 

When  you  return  your  partner’s  lead,  the  card 
you  should  choose  to  lead  on  the  second  round 


WHIST. 


103 

depends  on  the  number  of  cards  of  the  suit  you 
have  remaining.  Thus,  if  you  remain  with  three 
cards,  you  must  have  had  four  at  first.  You 
therefore  had  strength  in  the  suit,  and  you 
should  return  the  smallest  of  the  three  remain- 
ing cards,  agreeably  to  the  principle  that  with 
strength  it  is  to  your  advantage  to  retain  the 
command  in  your  own  hand.  If  you  remain 
with  two  cards  only,  you  should  return  the 
higher  one,  to  strengthen  your  partner  ; and, 
similarly,  if  you  have  discarded  one  of  a four- 
suit,  and  are  left  with  two  only  at  the  tune  you  re- 
turn it,  you  have  destroyed  the  numerical  power 
of  your  suit,  and  should  therefore  treat  it  as  a 
weak  suit,  and  return  the  higher  card  of  the  two 
remaining  in  your  hand. 

The  advantages  of  this  principle  are  numer- 
ous. In  the  case  that  you  and  your  partner  are 
both  numerically  strong,  the  return  of  the  low- 
est prevents  him  from  finessing  in  a suit  which 
must  be  trumped  third  round.  Further,  if  your 
hand  is  weak,  you  naturally  return  a suit  in 
which  you  infer  that  your  partner  is  strong. 
You  then  return  a strengthening  card  to  force  a 
high  card  of  your  partner’s  strong  suit  out  of 
his  way,  and  you  enable  him  to  finesse  if  he 
thinks  proper,  and  so  to  keep  the  command  of 
his  suit  in  his  own  hand. 

It  is  true  that  with  two  small  cards  only  (say 
the  five  and  the  six)  you  do  not  strengthen  your 
partner  by  returning  the  six.  But  there  is  a col- 


io4 


WHIST. 


lateral  advantage  in  keeping  to  the  rule  even 
with  small  cards — you  enable  a good  partner  to  cal- 
culate how  many  you  have  left  of  the  suit,  and  often 
where  the  remainder  of  it  lies.  Thus,  your  part- 
ner leads  a small  card  of  a suit  of  which  you 
have  king,  three,  and  two.  You,  as  third  player, 
put  on  the  king.  If  you  return  the  suit,  you  re- 
turn the  three,  and  not  the  two,  when  it  ought 
to  be  inferred,  either  that  you  have  returned  the 
smallest  of  a suit  of  four  or  more,  or  that  you 
have  no  more  of  the  suit  left,  or  the  two  only. 
When  your  two  comes  down  in  the  third  round 
it  ought  to  be  certain  that  you  have  no  more. 
If  your  partner  has  confidence  in  you,  he  can 
often  count  what  you  have  left  before  the  third 
round  is  played  ; thus,  in  the  above  instance, 
your  partner,  not  having  the  two  himself,  and 
seeing  that  it  does  not  drop  from  the  adversa- 
ries, concludes,  with  tolerable  certainty,  that 
you  remain,  after  the  second  round,  with  the  two 
and  no  more. 

There  are  three  exceptions  to  the  rule  of  play 
above  stated  : i.  When  you  hold  the  winning 
card  you  return  it,  whatever  number  of  cards  you 
hold,  lest  it  should  be  trumped  the  third  round, 
or,  your  partner,  imagining  it  to  be  against  him, 
should  finesse  ; and  2.  When  you  hold  the  second 
and  third  best,  in  plain  suits,  you  return  the 
highest.  Thus,  suppose  you  have  queen,  knave, 
ten,  and  one  small  one  of  a suit  of  which  your 
partner  leads  a small  one,  you  (third  hand)  put 


WHIST. 


io5 

on  the  ten,  which  is  won  by  (say)  the  ace.  If 
you  afterwards  return  the  suit,  you  should  return 
the  queen,  for  you  not  only  force  out  the  king, 
if  against  you,  but  you  also  do  not  block  your 
partner’s  suit,  should  he  have  led  from  great 
numerical  strength,  say  five  cards  to  the  nine, 
an  advantage  which  you  lose  by  returning  the 
small  one  ; and  3.  When  you  have  begun  to 
unblock  your  partner’s  suit  on  the  first  round 
(see  The  Command  of  Suits),  you  return  the 
highest  card,  notwithstanding  that  you  still  re- 
main with  three  cards  of  the  suit. 

It  should  also  be  observed  that,  occasional^ 
when  you  return  your  adversary’s  strong  lead, 
you  do  not  lead  the  higher  of  two  remaining 
cards,  especially  if  you  hold  the  second  best 
guarded.  For  example,  you  are  A ; Y is  your 
left-hand  adversary.  Y has  led  a king,  which 
was  won  by  the  ace,  leaving  Y with  the  queen 
and  others.  You  remain  with  knave  and  one 
small  one.  If  you  are  driven  to  return  this  suit, 
you  should  return  the  small  one.  The  queen 
will  probably  be  put  on  second  hand,  and  you 
will  remain  with  the  best. 


io6 


WHIST. 


THE  SECOND  HAND. 


In  the  first  round  of  a suit,  you  should  generally, 

6.  PLAY  YOUR  LOWEST  CARD 
SECOND  HAND. 

You  presume  that  the  first  hand  has  led  from 
strength,  and,  if  you  have  a high  card  in  his  suit, 
you  lie  over  him  when  it  is  led  again  ; whereas, 
if  you  play  your  high  card  second  hand,  you  get 
rid  of  a commanding  card  of  the  adversary’s 
suit,  and,  if  it  is  returned,  the  original  leader 
finesses  against  you.  Besides  this,  the  third 
player  will  play  his  highest  card,  and,  if  it  is 
better  than  yours,  you  have  wasted  power  to  no 
purpose. 

If,  however,  you  have  a sequence  of  high  cards, 
you  should  put  on  one  of  the  sequence  second 
hand,  for,  if  you  pass  the  trick,  the  third  hand 
may  win  with  a very  low  card,  or,  with  his  low 
card,  may  force  a high  one  from  your  partner. 
The  chief  objection  to  playing  an  unsupported 
high  card  does  not  apply,  as  the  leader  cannot 
successfully  finesse  against  you  on  the  next  round. 

With  a moderate  sequence,  such  as  queen, 
knave — knave,  ten — ten,  nine — you  play  the  Jow- 


WHIST. 


107 


estof  the  sequence  if  you  are  numerically  weak; 
but,  with  more  than  three  cards  of  the  suit,  you 
pass  a small  card  led,  agreeably  to  the  principle 
already  discussed — that  in  weak  suits  you  play  to 
save  your  partner’s  hand,  but  in  strong  ones  you 
leave  him  to  help  you.  For  instance  : — The 
leader  (A)  has  king,  ten,  nine,  eight,  seven  of  a 
suit ; the  second  player  (Y)  has  queen,  knave,  and 
one  small  one  ; the  fourth  player  (Z)  has  ace  and 
two  small  ones.  A leads  a small  card  ; Y should 
play  the  knave  ; if  he  does  not,  the  card  led 
forces  Z’s  ace.  It  is  true  that  this  happens  also 
if  Y passes  with  queen,  knave,  and  two  small 
ones  ; but  Y,  in  this  case,  has  a guard  to  his 
queen  and  knave,  and  is  left  with  the  two  com- 
manding cards  after  the  second  round  of  the  suit. 

With  a sequence  lower  than  ten,  nine,  there 
is  no  advantage  in  putting  on  one  of  the  sequence  ; 
so  the  lowest  should  then  be  played  secondhand, 
in  conformity  with  the  general  principle. 

7.  PLAY  THE  LOWEST  OF  A 
SEQUENCE. 

When  you  do  not  head  a trick,  you  throw 
away  your  lowest  card  to  economise  your  strength. 
Your  play  may  not  be  of  any  consequence  as 
regards  merely  the  chance  of  making  tricks  ; but 
it  may  be,  and  often  is,  of  importance  in  affording 
information  to  partner. 

Thus,  suppose  the  players  to  be  as  before,  A, 
Y,  B,  Z.  A leads  the  three  of  a suit,  Y plays 


io8 


WHIST. 


the  five,  B the  four.  It  ought  to  be  certain  that 
B has  no  more  of  the  suit,  it  being  presumed 
that  he,  not  being  able  to  head  the  trick,  throws 
away  his  smallest.  If  he  afterwards  plays  the 
two,  and  it  turns  out  that  he  previously  played 
the  four  through  carelessness , his  partner  loses 
confidence,  and  gives  up  all  hopes  of  drawing 
correct  inferences  from  his  play. 

This  rule,  viz.,  to  play  the  lowest,  applies 
equally  to  cards  in  sequence,  whether  you  attempt 
to  win  the  trick  or  not.  Thus,  say  queen  is  led, 
and  you  (second  hand)  hold  ace  and  king  ; if 
you  put  on  the  king,  your  partner  gains  the  very 
important  information  that  you  have  the  ace  also. 
For  queen  is  not  led  from  ace,  queen,  etc.,  so 
the  leader  cannot  hold  the  ace  ; the  third  hand 
cannot  have  it,  or  he  would  win  the  king  ; and 
the  fourth,  not  having  it  himself,  infers  that  you 
hold  it.  If  you  put  on  the  ace,  not  only  could 
he  not  tell  that  you  hold  the  king,  but,  in  con- 
sequence of  this  rule  of  play,  would  assume  that 
it  lay  with  the  leader  or  his  partner. 

The  play  of  the  lowest  of  a sequence,  though 
introduced  for  the  sake  of  convenience  in  respect 
of  the  second  hand,  applies  to  the  third  and 
fourth  hands  also.  (For  a fuller  examination  of 
this  point  see  Section  12.) 


WHIST. 


109 


ANALYSIS  OF  PLAY  OF  SECOND  HAND 
IN  DETAIL 


Ace , king , queen , etc. 

Play  lowest  of  ace,  king,  queen  sequence. 

Ace , king , knave , ^7*. 

Play  king  (but  ^ p.  113). 

On  the  second  round  of  the  suit,  it  becomes 
a matter  of  judgment  whether  you  should  play 
ace  or  finesse  knave.  No  positive  rule  can  be 
laid  down. 

Ace,  king , etc . 

Play  king. 

7/2  trumps , it  is  sometimes  right  to  pass,  leaving 
the  chance  of  the  first  trick  to  your  partner. 

Obvious  alterations  on  account  of  the  trump 
card  are  omitted.  It  is  clear  that,  with  ace, 
king,  etc.,  if  your  partner  has  turned  up  the 
queen,  you  should  play  a small  one  ; and  that, 
with  ace,  king,  knave,  if  your  right-hand  adversary 
has  turned  up  the  queen,  you  should  play  the 
knave  ; and  so  on  for  other  cases.  (And  see 
pp.  1 13,  1 14,  for  the  play  when  a medium  card 
is  led.) 


no 


WHIST. 


Ace , queen , knave , 

Play  lowest  of  queen,  knave  sequence. 

Ace , queen,  ten , 

In  trumps , play  ten,  or  with  cards  in  sequence, 
the  lowest  of  the  ten  sequence. 

plain  suits , if  strong  enough  in  trumps  to 
lead  them,  play  ten,  or  lowest  of  sequence  ; if 
weak  in  trumps,  play  queen  (but  see  p.  113). 

With  ace,  queen,  ten  only,  play  ten,  whether 
strong  in  trumps  or  not. 

Ace , queen , etc. 

Small  card  led. 

In  trumps , play  a small  one. 

In  plain  suits , with  five  in  suit,  play  a small 
one  if  strong  in  trumps ; the  queen  if  weak  in 
trumps. 

Knave  led. 

Play  ace.  It  is  useless  to  cover  with  the  queen, 
as  the  leader  cannot  hold  the  king  (see  Analysis 
of  Leads). 

These  instructions  assume  ordinary  original 
leads  from  strength.  If  ace  or  queen  is  turned 
up,  some  players  lead  knave,  from  king,  knave, 
ten.  If  you  know  this  is  the  practice  of  your 
right-hand  adversary,  you  should  exercise  your 
judgment  as  to  covering  with  ace  or  queen. 

Also  towards  the  close  of  a hand,  knave  might 
be  led  from  king,  knave,  for  various  reasons, 


WHIST. 


Ill 


perhaps  as  the  best  chance  of  saving  or  winning 
the  game  or  a point,  or  as  a false  card.  No 
rule  can  be  laid  down  for  such  cases. 

Ten  or  nine  led. 

Play  queen. 

Ace,  knave , ten , etc . 

In  trumps , play  ten,  or  with  cards  in  sequence 
with  the  ten,  the  lowest  of  the  sequence. 

In  plain  suits , play  a small  one. 

The  reason  for  the  difference  is  that,  in  trumps 
a small  card  may  be  led  from  king,  queen,  etc.  ; 
but  in  plain  suits,  not.  Hence  as,  in  plain  suits, 
the  king  or  queen  must  be  in  the  third  or  fourth 
hand,  your  strength  would  be  wasted  by  covering. 

Ace  and  small  ones . 

Play  a small  one  on  a small  card  led  ; ace  on 
an  honour. 

If,  after  several  tricks  have  been  played,  you 
particularly  want  the  lead,  or  you  suspect  the 
possibility  of  a lead  from  a single  card,  or  one 
trick  is  of  importance,  you  would  often  be  right 
to  play  the  ace.  Again,  no  rule  can  be  laid  down. 

King , queen , knave , etc . 

Play  the  lowest  of  the  king,  queen,  knave 
sequence. 

King , queen , etc. 

Small  card  led. 

Play  queen. 


1 12 


WHIST. 


In  trumps , it  is  sometimes  right  to  pass,  unless 
you  hold  ten  also,  or  only  three  in  suit. 

Knave  led. 

The  usual  practice  is  to  cover  with  the  queen. 
But,  it  can  be  shown  by  calculation  that,  if  the 
lead  is  from  knave,  ten,  nine,  and  small,  more  is 
gained  than  lost,  in  the  long  run,  by  passing. 

The  best  lead  from  knave,  ten,  nine,  etc.,  is  dis- 
puted ; and  so  also  is  the  question  of  covering. 

King , knave , ten , etc. 

Play  the  lowest  of  the  knave,  ten  sequence. 

Queen , knave , ten , etc . 

Play  ten,  or  lowest  of  sequence. 

Knave , ten , nine , etc. 

Play  nine,  or  lowest  of  sequence. 

Queen , knave , and  small ; knave , &tz,  small; 
ten , and  small. 

Play  as  directed  at  pp.  106,  107. 

Covering  or  passing  second  hand. 

If  an  honour  is  led,  and  you  hold  an  honour, 
not  the  ace,  pass  as  a rule. 

It  was  formerly  the  practice  to  cover  an  honour 
with  an  honour,  if  numerically  weak.  Calculation 


WHIST. 


113 


shows  more  is  gained  than  lost,  in  the  long  run, 
by  passing.  But,  if  a strengthening  card  is  led, 
late  in  a hand,  it  would  often  be  right  to  cover. 
No  positive  rule  can  be  laid  down  for  the  play 
of  the  second  hand  under  such  circumstances. 
When  you  have  the  fourchette  it  is  almost  always 
right  to  cover.  Thus,  if  knave  is  led,  and  you 
hold  queen,  ten,  etc.,  put  on  the  queen. 

If  a ten  is  led,  and  you  hold  queen  and  one 
small  one,  play  queen.  The  lead  is  probably 
from  king,  knave,  ten,  etc.,  and  the  queen  may 
save  your  partner’s  ace.  With  queen  and  two 
small  ones,  or  with  other  combinations  not 
enumerated  as  those  with  which  a high  card 
should  be  played  second  hand,  pass. 

If  a nine  is  led,  and  you  hold  king  and  one 
small  one,  play  king.  The  leader  must  have 
opened  an  ace  suit  (either  ace,  queen,  ten,  nine, 
or  ace,  knave,  ten,  nine),  assuming  him  to  have 
led  from  a suit  of  four  cards.  The  same  applies 
if  you  hold  king,  nine,  and  eight  is  led. 

If  a medium  card  is  led  from  a suit  of  at  least 
four  cards,  three  being  higher  than  the  card  led, 
and  you  hold  cards  that  (together  with  the  lead- 
er’s cards)  make  up  a sequence,  cover  with  the 
lowest  card  you  can.  For  example  : — The  orig- 
inal lead  is  an  eight.  You  (second  hand)  hold 
ace,  king,  ten,  with  or  without  small  ones.  If 
the  lead  was  from  queen,  knave,  nine,  eight,  as 
is  most  probable,  and  the  ten  is  put  on,  it  will 
win  the  trick. 

8 ' 


ii4 


WHIST. 


Again: — The  original  lead  is  a seven.  You 
hold  ace,  queen,  knave,  eight.  If  the  seven  is 
the  lowest  of  a four-card  suit,  the  lead  must  have 
been  from  king,  ten,  nine,  seven.  Therefore,  the 
eight  put  on  will  win  the  trick. 

If  an  eight  is  led,  and  you  hold  an  honour,  the 
ten,  and  a small  card,  play  the  ten.  The  lead 
being  presumably  from  at  least  four  cards,  of 
which  the  eight  is  the  lowest,  nothing  is  lost  by 
playing  the  ten,  and  a high  card  may  be  saved 
in  your  partner’s  hand.  The  same  applies  to 
knave,  nine  and  a small  card,  when  you  should 
cover  the  eight  with  the  nine'.  In  trumps,  but 
not  in  plain  suits,  you  should  similarly  play  the 
nine  on  the  eight,  holding  king,  nine  and  a 
small  one  ; or  queen,  nine  and  a small  one. 

If  the  leader  of  an  ace  follows  with  a medium 
card,  and  you  can  make  up  a sequence  with  your 
cards,  cover  with  the  lowest.  Thus,  ace  is  led, 
and  the  leader  continues  with  the  fourth-best  of 
those  remaining  in  his  hand,  viz.,  the  seven. 
You  had,  originally,  king,  queen,  ten,  four,  and 
you  played  the  four  to  the  ace.  The  leader  must 
hold  knave,  nine,  eight.  You  should  therefore 
play  the  ten  on  his  seven. 

If  a small  card  is  led,  and  you  hold  an  honour 
and  a small  card,  pass  the  trick  as  a rule  ; for 
by  putting  on  the  honour,  you  expose  your  weak- 
ness, and  enable  the  original  leader  to  finesse 
against  you  on  the  second  round.  The  principal 
general  exception  to  playing  a small  card  second 


WHIST. 


US 

hand,  is  when  the  circumstances  of  the  hand 
cause  you  to  seize  any  chance  of  obtaining  the 
lead,  as  when  you  want  to  stop  a lead  of  trumps, 
or  to  lead  trumps  yourself.  Then  it  is  often 
right  to  play  a high  card  second  hand,  when 
unsupported  by  another  high  card. 

Also,  in  trumps,  if  king  or  queen  is  turned 
up,  and  you  hold  it  singly  guarded  (i.e.,  if  you 
have  only  one  other  trump),  it  is  generally  ad- 
visable to  put  on  the  turn-up,  second  hand.  And 
if  you  hold  king  or  queen,  singly  guarded,  and 
a superior  honour  is  turned  up  to  your  right,  you 
should  play  the  king  or  queen. 


On  the  second  round  of  a suit,  if  you  have 
the  winning  card,  you  should — in  plain  suits — 
generally  put  it  on  second  hand,  subject  to  a 
finesse  that  will  certainly  be  successful  ; but  in 
trumps  there  are  many  cases  in  which  you  should 
not,  especially  if  you  have  numerical  strength  in 
trumps,  and  a good  hand  besides.  Your  winning 
trump  must  make,  and,  by  passing  the  second 
round,  you  perhaps  enable  your  partner  to  win 
with  a third-best  trump — or  even  a smaller  one — 
yourself  retaining  the  command. 

If,  when  led  through  on  the  second  round  of 
a suit,  you  conclude  from  the  previous  fall  of  the 
cards  that  the  second-best  card  is  to  your  right, 
it  is  sometimes  advisable  to  put  on  the  third-best. 


WHIST. 


1 16 


You  thus  save  your  partner’s  hand  if  he  holds 
the  best.  For  instance  : — If  knave  is  led  in  the 
first  round,  and  your  partner  (then  second  player) 
puts  on  king,  which  wins  the  trick,  it  is  clear 
(if  the  ten  is  your  best)  that  your  partner  has  the 
ace,  for  the  third  player  could  not  win  the  king, 
and  the  leader  could  not  have  led  from  ace, 
knave.  If  your  right-hand  adversary  afterwards 
returns  the  suit  through  you,  you  should  put  on 
the  ten  in  order  to  save  your  partner’s  ace. 


WHIST. 


117 


THE  THIRD  HAND. 


(See  also  “Whist  Developments.”  De  La  Rue  & Co., 
London  ; Charles  Scribner’s  Sons,  New  York.) 


On  the  first  round  of  a suit,  you  should  generally 

8.  PLAY  YOUR  HIGHEST  CARD  THIRD 
HAND, 

in  order  to  strengthen  your  partner.  You  presume 
that  he  leads  from  his  strong  suit,  and  wants  to 
have  the  winning  cards  of  it  out  of  his  way  ; you, 
therefore,  do  not  finesse,  but  play  your  highest, 
remembering  that  you  play  the  lowest  of  a 
sequence. 

With  ace,  queen  (and,  of  course,  ace,  queen, 
knave,  etc.,  in  sequence)  you  do  finesse,  for,  in 
this  case,  the  finesse  cannot  be  left  to  your 
partner.  In  trumps  you  may  finesse  ace,  knave, 
if  an  honour  is  turned  up  to  your  right.  Some 
players  finesse  knave  with  king,  knave,  etc.  ; but 
it  is  contrary  to  principle  to  finesse  in  your 
partner’s  strong  suit. 

If  your  partner  leads  a high  card  originally,  you 
assume  it  is  led  from  one  of  the  combinations 
given  in  the  Analysis  of  Leads,  and  your  play 
third  hand  must  be  guided  by  a consideration  of 
the  combination  led  from.  With  ace,  you  pass 
queen  led ; you  are  then  in  much  the  same 


n8 


WHIST. 


position  as  though  a small  card  were  led,  and  you 
finessed  with  ace,  queen. 

Knave,  led  originally,  is  from  king,  queen,  knave, 
etc.  (some  players  lead  knave  from  knave,  ten, 
nine,  etc.)  In  either  case,  if  you  hold  ace  with 
one  small  card,  play  the  ace  ; with  more  than  one 
small  card,  pass  (see  pp.  126-27).  If  your  only 
honour  is  the  king,  you  should  pass  knave  led. 
For,  the  second  hand  having  passed,  you  assume 
ace  to  be  to  your  left  (p.  1 1 2).  Should  the  queen 
be  there  also,  you  waste  the  king  by  covering  ; 
and  if  queen  is  to  your  right,  the  knave  forces 
the  ace. 

Ten  is  led  originally  from  king,  knave,  ten,  etc. 
If  you  hold  ace,  put  it  on  ; but  if  you  hold  queen, 
pass.  Holding  both  ace  and  queen,  your  play  de- 
pends on  whether  you  wish  to  obtain  the  lead  on 
the  first  round  of  the  suit.  With  ace,  queen  only, 
play  ace,  and  return  queen. 

If  your  partner  opens  a suit,  late  in  a hand, 
with  a high  card,  your  play,  third  hand,  will  de- 
pend on  your  judgment  of  the  character  of  the 
lead.  If  it  is  probable  that  your  partner  has  led 
from  a weak  suit,  you  will  often  be  right  to  finesse 
king,  knave,  etc.,  or  to  pass  his  card  altogether, 
so  as  not  to  give  up  the  entire  command  of  the 
suit.  Thus,  if  ten  is  led  and  you  hold  ace,  knave, 
etc.,  it  is  clear  that  the  card  led  is  the  highest 
your  partner  holds  in  the  suit.  You  therefore  pass, 
and  unless  both  king  and  queen  are  to  your  left, 
you  remain  with  the  tenace.  Similar  remarks  apply 


WHIST. 


11 9 

to  a forced  lead  of  knave,  when  you  hold  ace, 
ten,  etc.  If  you  have  considerable  strength  in  a 
suit  in  which  a strengthening  card  is  led,  you  must 
be  guided  by  your  strength  in  trumps.  Thus,  your 
partner  leads  knave  from  a weak  suit,  and  you 
hold  ace,  king,  and  small  ones.  You  may,  as  a 
rule,  pass  the  knave  if  you  are  strong  in  trumps, 
but  not  if  weak. 

On  the  second  round  of  a suit,  if  you  (third 
player)  hold  the  best  and  third-best  cards,  and 
you  have  no  indication  as  to  the  position  of  the 
intermediate  card,  your  play  should  again  depend 
on  your  strength  in  trumps.  If  weak  in  trumps, 
secure  the  trick  at  once  ; if  strong  in  trumps,  and 
especially  if  strong  enough  to  lead  a trump, 
should  the  finesse  succeed  (see  Management  of 
Trumps),  it  is  generally  right  to  make  it.  If  you 
hold  second  and  fourth  best,  you  may  nearly 
always  finesse  ; for  you  conclude  that  the  win- 
ning card  is  over  you  in  the  fourth  hand,  since 
your  partner  has  not  led  it,  and  the  second  player 
has  not  put  it  on.  If  the  third-best  lies  over  you 
also,  you  cannot  prevent  the  tenace  from  making, 
and  your  only  chance,  therefore,  is  to  finesse. 
Thus,  you  lead  a small  card  from  queen,  ten, 
and  two  small  ones  ; your  partner  wins  the  first 
trick  with  the  king,  and  returns  a small  one.  The 
ace  is  certainly  to  your  left;  you  therefore  finesse 
the  ten,  for  if  your  left-hand  adversary  holds  ace 
and  knave  he  must  make  them  both  ; but,  other- 
wise, your  ten  forces  the  ace,  and  you  are  left 


120 


WHIST. 


with  the  best.  In  trumps,  the  winning  card  is 
often  held  up  by  the  adversary,  but  you  must 
submit  to  this  contingency,  and  generally  finesse. 

It  is  of  no  use  to  finesse  against  your  right- 
hand  adversary  in  a suit  in  which  he  has  shown 
weakness.  For  instance,  if  the  second  hand  has 
none  of  the  suit  led,  and  does  not  trump  it,  you 
(third  hand)  should  not  finesse  a major  tenace 
(z>.,  the  best  and  third-best  cards).  This  often 
occurs  in  the  second  or  third  round  of  a suit ; 
also,  if  your  partner  (third  player)  has  won  a trick 
very  cheaply,  and  the  suit  is  returned,  it  is  rarely 
of  any  use  to  finesse  if  you  have  the  winning 
card. 

In  some  few  positions,  however,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  finesse,  even  if  the  second  player  holds 
nothing.  Thus,  your  partner  leads  a knave,  and 
the  second  hand  renounces  (/.*.,  does  not  follow 
suit)  ; if  you  (third  player)  hold  king,  it  is  use- 
less to  cover,  as  ace,  queen  in  the  fourth  hand 
must  make.  Again,  you  have  king,  and  two 
small  trumps ; your  partner  leads  a small  one  ; 
the  second  hand  renounces.  If  you  want  one 
trick  to  win  or  save  the  game,  you  (third  player) 
play  a small  trump,  when  the  fourth  player  will 
be  obliged  to  lead  up  to  your  king  guarded.  * 

The  state  of  the  game  and  of  the  score  will 
often  direct  as  to  a finesse  late  in  a hand.  Thus, 
if  you  hold  a winning  card,  and  want  one  trick 
to  save  or  win  the  game,  of  course  you  should 
not  run  any  risk.  A finesse  against  even  one 


WHIST. 


I 2 I 


card  is  generally  wrong,  if,  by  playing  otherwise, 
you  prevent  the  adversary  from  scoring  the 
game.  A finesse  is  almost  always  bad,  if  by 
not  finessing  you  insure  the  odd  trick.  In  the 
opposite  case,  a finesse  is  generally  right  (some- 
times even  against  more  than  one  card),  if  its 
success  gives  you  the  odd  trick,  or  wins  the 
game. 

The  considerations  as  to  finessing  and  the 
course  of  play  generally,  that  come  in  as  the 
hand  proceeds,  are  so  complicated,  and  depend 
so  much  on  inferences  from  previous  play,  and 
on  the  state  of  the  score,  that  only  broad  rules, 
with  examples,  can  be  given.  Illustrations  of 
the  conduct  of  the  hand  at  advanced  periods 
will  be  found  in  Sections  17  and  18,  and  more 
in  the  hands. 


THE  FOURTH  HAND. 


The  fourth  player  having,  with  a few  excep- 
tions, merely  to  win  the  trick,  if  against  him,  his 
play  involves  no  further  development  of  general 
principles. 

The  exceptional  cases,  where  the  fourth  hand 
should  not  win  the  trick  though  he  can,  or  should 
win  his  partner’s  trick  in  order  to  have  the  lead, 
depend  so  much  on  the  previous  fall  of  the  cards, 
that  they  can  best  be  illustrated  in  the  hands. 


122 


WHIST. 


THE  COMMAND  OF  SUITS. 


In  the  foregoing  chapters  it  has  been  incident- 
ally stated  that  you  should 

9.  KEEP  THE  COMMAND  OF  YOUR 

ADVERSARY’S  SUIT:  and 

10.  GET  RID  OF  THE  COMMAND  OF 

YOUR  PARTNER’S  SUIT. 

The  reasons  will  be  obvious  to  those  who  are 
familiar  with  the  previous  pages  ; in  the  first 
case,  you  obstruct  the  adversaries’  suits,  and  pre- 
vent their  establishing  them  ; in  the  second  case, 
you  assist  in  clearing  the  suit  for  your  partner. 

Thus,  with  ace  and  queen  only  of  a suit  led 
by  your  partner,  if  you  win  with  the  queen,  play 
out  the  ace  at  once  ; but,  if  the  suit  is  led  by 
your  adversary,  keep  the  ace  in  your  hand.  If 
you  play  out  the  winning  card  of  the  opponent’s 
suit  in  hopes  of  trumping  the  next  round,  you 
do  just  what  the  adversaries  want,  by  playing 
their  game  for  them  ; the  lead  of  the  ace  may 
afford  them  valuable  assistance  in  establishing 
their  suit,  and  in  bringing  it  in  after  trumps  are 
out. 

Though  the  advantage  of  getting  rid  of  the 


WHIST. 


I23 


command  of  a suit  in  which  your  partner  has 
declared  strength  is  recognised  theoretically,  the 
application  of  the  principle  of  unblocking  is  much 
neglected  in  practice. 

When  you  hold  five  or  more  of  your  partner’s 
suit,  there  is  no  need  to  attempt  to  unblock,  as 
you  are  presumably  as  strong  as,  or  stronger  than, 
he  is. 

When  you  hold  four  cards  exactly  of  a plain 
suit,  of  which  your  partner  leadfe  originally  ace, 
queen,  knave,  ten  or  nine,  you  should  retain  your 
lowest  card  on  the  first  and  second  rounds.  For 
example  : — Ace  is  led.  You  (third  hand)  hold 
king,  queen,  knave,  and  one  small  card  of  the 
suit.  The  lead  must  be  from  at  least  five  cards. 
If  you  play  the  small  card  to  the  ace,  you 
effectually  block  the  suit.  You  should  play  the 
knave,  and  on  the  second  round  the  queen,  even 
if  the  second  hand  trumps. 

Similar  unblocking  tactics  should  be  employed 
with  any  four  cards  in  plain  suits  ; the  trump 
suit  cannot  be  blocked. 

Occasional  loss  of  a trick  may  result ; but  the 
risk  is  slight,  and  is  more  than  compensated  for 
by  the  tricks  won  in  consequence  of  unblocking. 

The  king  is  not  included  as  a high  card  for 
unblocking  purposes,  the  lead  being  from  four 
cards  (see  Analysis  of  Leads). 

Your  partner  should  be  careful  to  distinguish 
between  unblocking  and  calling  for  trumps  (see 
Management  of  Trumps).  If  you  play  on  the 


124 


WHIST. 


second  round  a higher  card  than  you  played  on 
the  first,  and  on  the  third  round  a lower  card, 
you  have  not  completed  a call.  For  instance  : — 
A leads  ace  ; B (third  hand)  holds  king,  ten,  nine, 
two,  and  begins  to  unblock  by  playing  nine.  A 
then  leads  queen.  B must  play  ten,  to  avoid 
completing  a call,  notwithstanding  that  he  now 
knows  the  lead  to  have  been  from  four  cards 
only  (see  Analysis  of  Leads).  If  on  the  third 
round  B plays  the  two,  he  has  not  called  for 
trumps.  The  inference  is  that  he  had  four  of  the 
suit  originally,  and  abandons  unblocking  tactics 
on  the  third  round,  as  he  finds  perseverance 
useless. 

If  you  wish  to  call  and  to  unblock  at  the 
same  time,  you  must  play  the  two  middle  cards 
in  reverse  order.  Thus,  in  the  above  example, 
if  B plays  ten  to  the  first  trick  and  nine  to  the 
second,  he  has  called  and  unblocked. 

When  you  have  begun  to  unblock  on  the  first 
round,  and  the  suit  is  discontinued,  and  you 
obtain  the  lead  and  desire  to  return  your  partner’s 
suit,  you  must  return  your  highest  card,  notwith- 
standing that  you  had  four  originally  (see  Section 
5).  If  you  return  the  lowest,  you  undo  all  you 
have  already  done,  and  complete  a call  for  trumps. 

Thus  : — A leads  queen  originally  ; B,  holding 
nine,  eight,  seven,  two,  plays  the  seven.  The 
trick  is  won  adversely.  B obtains  the  lead  in 
another  suit.  If  he  now  returns  his  partner’s 
lead,  he  should  return  the  nine. 


WHIST. 


125 


If  you  have  begun  to  unblock  on  the  first 
round  of  a suit,  and  the  suit  is  discontinued, 
and  you  have  subsequently  to  discard  from  that 
suit,  you  must  discard  your  middle  card,  or  you 
undo  all  you  have  already  done,  and  complete 
a call  for  trumps. 

It  will  not  often  happen  that  a suit  will  be 
brought  in  by  following  the  unblocking  rule  with 
four  in  hand  exactly,  when  the  suit  would  not 
equally  have  been  brought  in  independently  of 
the  rule.  But  there  is  a collateral  advantage  in 
playing  as  advised — viz.,  that  the  unblocking  rule 
frequently  enables  your  partner  to  .count  your 
hand,  as  the  following  examples  will  show  : — A 
leads  ace  ; Y plays  seven  ; B (holding  nine,  four, 
three,  two)  plays  three  ; Z plays  eight.  On  the 
second  round,  A leads  knave  ; Y plays  king  ; B 
plays  four  ; Z plays  ten.  Y now  leads  another 
plain  suit,  so  he  is  not  calling  for  trumps.  A 
notes  the  absence  of  the  deuce  in  two  rounds 
of  his  suit ; he.can  therefore  count  nine  and  two 
in  B’s  hand.  He  knows  his  suit  is  established, 
and  that  if  he  leads  it  again  before  trumps  are 
out,  one  adversary  will  trump  and  the  other  will 
discard.  This  knowledge  he  could  not  have 
obtained  if  B had  played  the  two  and  the  three. 
Again  : — A leads  knave  ; Y plays  ace  ; B (holding 
nine,  six,  five,  two)  plays  five  ; Z plays  three. 
When  A next  has  the  lead,  he  continues  with 
the  king  of  his  suit  ; Y trumps  ; B plays  six  ; Z 
playsfour.  It  is  possible  that  Z may  have  refused 


I 2 6 


WHIST. 


to  complete  a call  for  trumps  ; but  otherwise,  B 
can  be  counted  to  remain  with  deuce  and  one 
other,  and  A knows  that  his  suit  is  established. 
This  A could  not  tell  if  B had  played  the  two 
and  the  five. 

When  you  hold  less  than  four  cards  of  a suit 
of  which  your  partner  leads  a high  one  originally, 
the  unblocking  rule  with  four  cards  does  not 
apply  ; but  you  should  be  prepared  to  unblock 
in  certain  cases.  Thus  : — A’s  original  plain  suit 
lead  is  ace,  then  nine.  On  the  second  round, 
Y plays  king.  B had  originally  queen  and  two 
small.  He  should  play  queen  to  the  king,  as  A 
is  marked  with  knave,  ten,  and  at  least  one  small. 
A should  not  hastily  conclude  from  this  play  that 
B has  no  more  of  the  suit.  Again  : — A leads 
queen  of  a plain  suit  from  queen,  knave,  ten,  etc. 
B holds  ace,  king,  and  one  small.  He  unblocks 
by  playing  the  king.  This  play  is  only  sound 
if  it  is  absolutely  certain  that  A is  a player  who 
always  opens  the  game  with  his  strongest  suit. 
Or : — A leads  king  or  queen  originally.  If  B 
holds  ace,  knave  only,  he  unblocks  by  playing 
ace  and  returning  knave.  With  ace,  knave,  and 
one  small,  B should  pass  the  first  round.  On 
the  second  round,  if  king  was  led,  the  lead  was 
from  four  cards,  and  B should  generally  play 
knave,  notwithstanding  that  he  blocks  the  suit. 
But,  if  queen  was  led,  a lead  from  more  than 
four  cards  is  developed,  and,  on  the  second 
round,  B should  play  ace.  And  again  : — A leads 


WHIST. 


I27 


knave  originally.  If  B holds  ace  and  one  small, 
he  should  play  ace.  If  B holds  ace  and  two 
small,  he  should  pass  the  knave,  and  play  ace 
on  the  second  round.  By  deferring  the  un- 
blocking, the  third  hand  conveys  the  valuable 
information  to  his  partner  that  he  still  holds  a 
small  card  together  with  the  ace.  In  trumps,  you 
should  pass  the  second  round,  unless  desirous  of 
placing  the  lead  in  your  partner’s  hand  after  the 
third  round,  as  the  trump  suit  cannot  be  blocked. 

If  ten  or  nine  is  led  originally,  and  you  (third 
hand)  hold  ace,  queen  only,  you  play  ace  and 
return  queen,  and  are  marked  with  no  more.  If 
you  hold  ace,  queen,  and  one  small,  you  play 
queen  and  return  ace. 

Similarly,  if  nine  is  led,  and  you  hold  king, 
knave  only,  you  play  king  and  return  knave,  not 
to  unblock,  but  to  show  no  more  of  the  suit. 
If  you  play  knave  and  return  king,  you  remain 
with  one  more,  as  in  the  case  of  ace,  queen,  and 
one  small. 

You  help  your  partner  to  get  rid  of  the  com- 
mand of  your  suit  by  leading  the  lowest  of  a 
sequence,  notwithstanding  that  it  heads  your 
suit,  when  you  want  him  to  win  your  card  if 
he  can.  For  this  reason  you  lead  knave  from 
king,  queen,  knave,  five  in  suit ; ace,  knave 
from  ace,  queen,  knave,  and  at  least  two  small 
cards..  In  the  last  case,  if  your  partner  has 
king,  whether  he  should  put  it  on  your  knave, 
or  not,  depends  on  how  many  small  cards  of 


128 


WHIST. 


the  suit  he  holds.  If,  when  you  lead  knave, 
he  remains  with  king  and  one  small  one,  he 
should  win  the  knave  with  the  king  ; but  if  he 
has  king  and  two  small  ones  remaining,  he 
should  pass  the  knave,  as  explained  in  the  pre- 
vious examples.  Again,  suppose  you  are  left 
with  knave,  ten,  and  others  of  a suit,  of  which  your 
partner  can  only  have  king  and  another  (ace  and 
queen  being  out),  though  it  is  uncertain  whether 
he  does  hold  the  king.  You  would  cause  him  to 
get  rid  of  the  king  by  leading  the  ten  ; whereas, 
if  you  led  the  knave,  he  probably  would  not  part 
with  the  king. 

Experienced  players  frequently  endeavour  to 
obtain  the  entire  command  of  a suit  (/>.,  to  keep 
a sufficient  number  of  winning  or  commanding 
cards  in  it  to  make  every  trick),  by  underplaying. 
Underplay  is  keeping  up  the  winning  card,  gen- 
erally in  the  second  round  of  a suit,  by  leading 
a low  card,  though  holding  the  best. 

Thus,  suppose  a small  trump  is  led,  and  you 
(fourth  player)  hold  ace,  knave,  and  two  small 
ones,  and  you  win  with  one  of  the  small 
ones.  If,  at  a later  period  of  the  hand,  you  re- 
turn a small  trump,  you  will  very  likely  cause 
your  left-hand  adversary  to  believe  that  your 
partner  has  the  ace  ; consequently,  if  your  left- 
hand  adversary  has  the  king,  he  may  not  put  it 
on  ; your  partner  will  win  the  second  round  with 
the  queen,  and  you  will  retain  the  command  of 
the  trump  suit. 


WHIST. 


I29 


Underplay  is  an  extempore  stratagem  depend- 
ing on  observation  of  the  previous  fall  of  the 
cards,  and,  therefore,  best  capable  of  explanation 
by  examples.  Thus: — A,  finding  his  partner 
strong  in  trumps,  leads  the  seven.  The  king  is 
put  on  by  Y (second  hand),  which  B (third  hand) 
wins,  holding  ace,  queen,  ten,  nine,  eight.  It  is 
evident  to  B that  A’s  seven  was  his  highest 
trump,  as  the  only  higher  one  in  is  the  knave, 
and  A would  never  lead  the  seven  from  knave, 
seven.  The  king  having  been  put  on  second 
hand,  B concludes  that  Y,  in  all  probability, 
holds  at  most  one  small  trump  more.  The  knave 
is,  to  a moral  certainty,  in  Z’s  hand.  B,  by  lead- 
ing the  eight  on  the  second  round,  will  probably 
win  the  trick,  and  unless  Z had  four  trumps 
originally,  will  catch  the  knave  with  the  queen 
on  the  third  round.  (Further  examples  of  un- 
derplay occur  in  the  hands.) 

Players  should  be  on  their  guard  against  this 
manoeuvre,  particularly  when  second  hand,  in  the 
second  round  of  a suit,  they  hold  the  second-best 
card  guarded,  and  the  adversary  has  been  play- 
ing a strong  game  (as  by  leading  trumps),  and  is 
left  with  the  long  trump,  or  is  certain  to  be  able 
to  obtain  the  lead  again.  Then  it  is  often  right 
for  the  second  hand  to  play  a singly-guarded 
second-best  card,  especially  if  that  is  the  only 
chance  of  making  it.  In  the  case  stated  in  the 
previous  paragraph,  Z’s  only  chance  of  making 
the  knave,  if  singly  guarded,  is  to  put  it  on  sec- 
9 


130 


WHIST. 


ond  hand.  For,  if  the  queen  with  small  ones  is 
in  A’s  hand,  A is  sure  to  finesse  on  the  return  of 
the  suit  by  his  partner.  Again,  take  this  case  : 
— A leads  the  six  of  diamonds  ; Y,  with  knave, 
ten,  and  a small  one,  puts  on  the  ten  ; B plays 
the  king,  and  Z wins  it  with  the  ace.  Presently, 
A obtains  the  lead  again,  and  leads  the  eight  of 
diamonds.  A,  having  led  the  lowest  of  his  suit 
in  the  first  round,  it  may  be  inferred  that  he  has 
led  from  a strong  suit — headed  in  this  case  by 
the  queen — and  that  he  is  underplaying  with, 
probably,  queen  and  nine  in  his  hand.  Y should 
observe  this,  and  in  the  second  round  should 
win  the  eight  with  the  knave. 

Refusing  to  play  the  winning  card  on  the  first 
and  second  rounds  of  a suit — commonly  called 
holding  up — is,  in  fact,  a species  of  underplay. 
For  example  : — i.  Trumps  are  led  by  the  player 
to  your  left ; the  third  hand  wins  with  the  ace, 
and  returns  the  suit  through  you.  If  you  have 
king  and  one  or  more  small  ones  remaining,  you 
should  play  a small  one,  unless  the  circumstances 
of  the  hand  are  such  that  you  deem  it  advan- 
tageous to  stop  the  trump  lead.  The  original 
trump  leader,  not  knowing  but  that  the  king  is 
in  your  partner’s  hand,  will  probably  finesse,  and 
your  partner  thus  has  a chance  of  making  the 
third-best  trump,  even  though  unguarded.  If 
your  partner  has  neither  second  nor  thud  best 
trump,  no  harm  is  done,  as  you  will  then  prob- 
ably make  but  one  trick  in  the  suit,  however  you 


WHIST. 


131 

play.  2.  Again,  ten  tricks  are  played,  and  each 
player  is  left  with  three  cards  of  a suit  not 
opened.  If  the  second  player  puts  on  the  queen 
(from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  he  holds  the 
king  also),  the  third  hand  should  not  cover  with 
the  ace.  For,  by  winning  the  trick,  he  must  lead 
up  to  king  guarded  ; but,  bypassing  it,  he  leaves 
the  lead  with  the  second  player,  and  takes  the 
best  chance  of  making  two  tricks. 


DISCARDING. 


When  you  cannot  follow  suit,  you  should 
11.  DISCARD  FROM  YOUR  WEAKEST  SUIT. 

You  weaken  a suit  by  discarding  from  it,  and 
lessen  the  number  of  long  cards  you  might  other- 
wise establish  and  bring  in  (i.e.,  make  tricks  with 
if  trumps  are  out,  and  you  obtain  the  lead  after 
the  establishment  of  your  suit).  On  the  other 
hand,  you  do  but  little  harm  by  throwing  from  a 
suit'in  which  you  are  already  weak.  Your  partner 
should  understand  that  your  first  or  original  dis- 
card is  from  your  weakest  suit , just  as  he  under- 
stands that  your  original  lead  is  from  your 
strongest  suit. 

But,  as  in  the  case  of  leads,  you  are  sometimes 
obliged  to  lead  from  a weak  suit,  or  to  make  a 
forced  lead,  so  sometimes  you  have  to  make  a 


1 32 


WHIST. 


forced  discard.  Forced  discards  require  separate 
consideration. 

It  is  clear,  if  the  opponents  declare  great 
strength  in  trumps  (by  leading  trumps  or  asking 
for  them,  as  will  be  fully  explained  in  Section  13), 
that  your  chance  of  bringing  in  a suit  is  prac- 
tically nil.  You  should  therefore,  in  such  cases, 
abandon  the  tactics  you  would  otherwise  adopt, 
and  play  to  guard  your  weaker  suits,  by  dis- 
carding from  your  best  protected  suit,  which  is 
generally  your  longest  suit.  You  must,  in  fact, 
play  a defensive  game. 

If  this  system  of  discarding  is  comprehended 
by  the  two  players  who  are  partners,  it  follows, 
as  a matter  of  course,  that  when  trumps  are  not 
declared  against  you , your  partner  will  assume 
you  are  weak  in  the  suit  you  first  discard ; but, 
when  trumps  are  declared  against  you , he  will 
give  you  credit  for  strength  in  the  suit  from 
which  you  originally  throw  away.  This  is  most 
important,  as  it  affects  his  subsequent  leads.  In 
the  first  case,  he  will  refrain  from  leading  the 
suit  from  which  you  have  discarded  ; in  the 
second,  he  will,  unless  he  has  a very  strong 
suit  of  his  own,  select  for  his  lead  the  suit  in 
which  you  have  shown  strength  by  your  discard. 

It  is  commonly  said,  “ Discard  from  your  strong 
suit  when  the  adversary  leads  or  calls  for  trumps.” 
But  this  is  a very  imperfect  and  misleading  aphor- 
ism. If  you  have  no  indications  from  the  play, 
and  are  obliged  to  discard  to  an  adverse  trump 


WHIST. 


133 


lead  or  call,  you  should  discard  from  your  best 
protected  suit.  But,  if  you  have,  or  if  the  fall 
of  the  cards  shows  that  your  partner  has,  sufficient 
strength  in  trumps  to  outlast  the  adversary,  the 
discard  should  be  from  the  weak  suit.  Thus:  — 
Y,  second  player,  calls  for  trumps  (see  p.  154), 
and  B,  third  player,  also  calls.  The  discards  of 
A and  Z should  be  from  their  weak  suits.  For 
though,  on  the  one  hand,  great  strength  in 
trumps  is  declared  against  them,  on  the  other 
hand  great  strength  is  also  declared  with  them. 
Again  : — Z deals  and  turns  up  nine  of  clubs.  A 
(the  original  leader)  leads  a small  club  ; Y follows 
suit  ; B puts  on  ace  ; Z plays  king.  This  shows 
that  Z has  a sequence  of  queen,  knave,  ten, 
nine  of  trumps  ; and  therefore  that,  though  A 
has  led  a trump,  he  has  anything  but  the  com- 
mand of  the  suit.  B returns  the  trump  ; Z wins  ; 
Y has  no  more  trumps.  His  discard  should  be 
from  his  weakest  suit.  The  following  case  is 
less  easy  : — The  adversary  (A)  leads  a tierce 
major  in  trumps,  eleven  trumps  come  out,  and 
your  partner  (Y)  must  have  knave  of  trumps  to 
save  the  game.  You  now  credit  your  partner 
with  the  command  of  trumps,  though  the  adver- 
sary has  led  them ; and  if  either  you  (Z)  or 
your  partner  (Y)  has  to  discard,  the  discard 
should  be  from  the  weakest  suit  (see  Hand  XII). 
Similar  remarks  apply  if  a strengthening  trump 
is  led  by  an  adversary  from  weak  trumps  and 
good  cards  in  plain  suits. 


134 


WHIST. 


It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  it  is  only  your 
original  discard  which  is  directive.  Having  once 
discarded,  you  cannot  undo  your  work  by  any 
number  of  discards  from  another  suit.  Also, 
having  once  led  a suit,  you  have  declared  strength 
in  it  ; and  subsequent  discards  from  that  suit 
do  not  alter  the  fact  that  it  was  originally  your 
strongest  suit. 

It  is  dangerous  to  unguard  an  honour,  or  to 
blank  an  ace  ; and,  also,  to  discard  a single 
card  when  the  game  is  in  an  undeveloped  stage, 
as  it  exposes  your  weakness  almost  as  soon 
as  the  suit  is  led.  But,  when  you  see  that  there 
is  a probability  of  strength  in  trumps  on  your 
side,  direct  your  partner  to  your  strong  suit  by 
all  the  means  in  your  power,  and  unhesitatingly 
unguard  an  honour,  or  throw  a single  card.  Of 
course,  if  strength  in  trumps  is  against  you,  these 
are  the  very  last  cards  you  should  think  of 
throwing  away. 

When  your  left-hand  adversary  will  have  the 
lead  next  round,  if  you  discard  from  a suit  in 
which  you  hold  a tenace,  you  may  possibly  in- 
duce him  to  lead  that  suit  up  to  you.  You 
must  be  on  your  guard  against  this  ruse,  and 
not  necessarily  lead  up  to  the  discard  of  your 
right-hand  opponent. 

The  same  principle  applies  to  trumping  as  to 
discarding.  The  weaker  you  are  in  trumps,  the 
better  it  is  for  you  to  make  a little  one  by  trump- 
ing, as  will  be  further  explained  in  Section  14. 


WHIST. 


135 


THE  CONVERSATION  OF  THE  GAME. 


12.  AFFORD  INFORMATION  BY  YOUR  PLAY. 

It  has  several  times  been  assumed  in  the  pre- 
ceding pages  that  you  should  convey  information 
by  your  play*  The  question  naturally  arises,  How 
is  it  that  a player  gains  any  advantage  by  publishing 
information  to  the  tablet  It  is  often  argued,  and 
with  much  show  of  reason,  that  as  almost  every 
revelation  concerning  your  hand  must  be  given 
to  the  whole  table,  and  that  as  you  have  two 
adversaries  and  only  one  partner,  you  publish 
information  at  a disadvantage.  But  you  must 
either  give  information  or  play  at  random  ; and 
no  one  contends  that  random  play  is  conducive 
to  success.  Moreover  you  possess  the  power,  to 
a great  extent,  of  selecting  what  facts  shall  be 
announced  and  what  concealed. 

Experienced  players  are  unanimous  in  admitting 
that  it  is  an  advantage  to  inform  your  partner  of 
strength  in  your  own  suits,  though  some  advise 
concealment  of  strength  in  suits  in  which  the 
adversaries  have  shown  strength.  Thus,  with  ace, 
king,  second  hand,  the  usual  play  is  to  put  on 
the  king.  The  third  hand  does  not  win  the 
king,  and  hence  the  leader  is  able  to  infer  that 
the  ace  of  his  strong  suit  is  against  him.  But, 
if  you  put  on  the  ace  second  hand,  you  prevent 
the  leader  from  discovering  where  the  king  of  his 


136 


WHIST. 


suit  lies.  It  is,  however,  found  that  two  honours 
in  the  adversary’s  suit  constitute  sufficient 
strength  to  make  it  advantageous  in  the  long  run 
to  proclaim  your  force  ; while,  with  less  strength, 
it  is  not  easy  to  mystify  the  opponents  prejudi- 
cially ; so  that,  on  the  whole,  it  seldom  happens 
that  a balance  of  gain  results  from  the  adoption 
of  deceptive  play. 

Occasionally,  however,  a false  card  may  be 
played  with  a special  object.  For  instance  : — Ace 
is  turned  up  to  your  right,  and,  when  the  dealer 
comes  in,  he  leads  a small  trump.  If  you,  second 
hand,  have  king,  queen  only,  you  would  be  justi- 
fied in  playing  the  king,  in  hopes  of  inducing 
the  trump  leader  to  finesse  on  the  return  of  the 
suit.  Or,  take  this  case  : — Your  left-hand  adver- 
sary leads  originally  the  five  of  his  strong  suit, 
from  king,  ten,  seven,  five.  Your  partner  plays 
the  six  ; third  hand  plays  ace.  You,  holding 
queen,  knave,  nine,  eight,  four,  three,  play  the 
three.  Your  right-hand  opponent  now  leads 
trumps  ; all  the  trumps  come  out.  The  player 
to*  your  right  next  returns  the  deuce  of  his  part- 
ner’s suit.  The  original  lead  being  from  a four- 
card  suit,  king,  ten,  seven,  remain  in  the  leader’s 
hand.  If  you  play  knave,  the  original  leader 
will  place  queen  in  your  hand,  and  will  hesitate 
to  go  on  with  the  suit.  But,  if  you  play  queen, 
he  will  place  knave  and  at  least  one  small  one 
in  his  partner’s  hand.  Then  if,  under  this  im- 
pression, he  continues  the  suit,  you  bring  it  in. 


WHIST. 


137 

It  is  in  most  cases  unquestionably  disadvan- 
tageous to  you  that  the  whole  table  should  be 
aware  of  your  being  very  weak  in  a particular 
suit,  and,  consequently,  information  of  weakness 
should  be  withheld  as  long  as  possible.  If  you 
are  led  up  to  fourth  hand  in  such  a suit,  or  if 
your  partner  opens  the  suit  with  a small  card,  of 
course  the  disclosure  is  inevitable  ; but  until 
one  of  these  events  happens  your  poverty  can 
generally  be  kept  out  of  sight.  It  may  happen 
that  you  are  occasionally  forced  to  lead  a weak 
suit  yourself  ; and  in  this  event  the  least  disad- 
vantage, on  the  whole,  is  to  tell  the  truth  at 
once,  by  first  leading  the  highest  of  it.  Your 
partner,  apprised  of  the  state  of  your  hand  by 
the  fall  of  your  smaller  card  on  the  subsequent 
round,  will  probably  deem  it  prudent  to  strive 
by  defensive  tactics  to  avert  total  defeat  in  that 
suit,  rather  than  to  contend  single-handed  against 
the  combined  strength  of  the  opponents.  But, 
at  critical  points  of  the  game,  it  is  often  right 
to  conceal  weakness.  Thus,  towards  the  end  of 
a hand,  it  is  necessary  that  your  partner  should 
make  a couple  of  tricks  in  an  unopened  suit,  of 
which  you  hold  two  or  three  little  cards.  You 
should  lead  the  lowest.  If  you  lead  the  highest, 
the  adversaries  will  suspect  your  weakness  at 
once,  and  will  be  sure  of  it  on  the  second  round. 
Their  efforts  will  then  be  directed  to  preventing 
your  partner  from  making  the  required  tricks  in 
that  suit.  Your  left-hand  adversary  will  not 


138 


WHIST. 


finesse  ; and  if  your  partner  is  led  through, 
your  right-hand  adversary  merely  covers,  or 
plays  the  lowest  card  he  has,  higher  than  the 
one  you  first  led. 

When  your  partner  has  exhibited  weakness  in 
one  or  more  suits,  you  would  frequently  be  justi- 
fied in  playing  a false  card.  You  are  driven  to 
rely  solely  on  yourself,  and  are  entitled  to  adopt 
every  artifice  your  ingenuity  can  suggest  in  or- 
der to  perplex  the  other  side.  The  considera- 
tion that  you  may  mislead  your  partner  will  no 
longer  influence  you,  as  you  know  him  to  be 
powerless  for  good  or  for  evil. 

You  inform  your  partner  by  following  the  rec- 
ognised practice  of  the  game,  e.g.9  by  leading  as 
advised  in  the  Analysis  of  Leads  ; by  playing 
your  lowest  card  when  not  attempting  to  win 
the  trick  ; and  so  forth.  If  you  adhere  to  this, 
you  will  soon  acquire  a reputation  for  playing 
a straightforward  intelligible  game  ; and  this 
character  alone  will  counterbalance  the  disad- 
vantage which  will  sometimes  attach  to  the  fact 
that  you  have  enabled  the  adversaries  to  read 
your  hand.  If  your  partner  knows  that  you 
play  at  random  and  without  method,  he  will  be 
in  a state  of  constant  uncertainty  ; and  you  Al- 
most preclude  him  from  executing  any  of  the  finer 
strokes  of  play,  the  opportunities  for  which  gen- 
erally arise  from  being  able  to  infer  with  con- 
fidence the  position  of  particular  cards.  The 
extreme  case  of  two  skilled  players  against  two 


WHIST. 


139 


unskilled  ones  amounts  almost  to  this,  that  tow- 
ards the  close  of  a hand  the  former  have  the 
same  advantage  as  though  they  had  seen  each 
other’s  cards,  while  the  latter  have  not. 

It  follows  that  when  you  are  unfortunately  tied 
to  an  untaught  partner,  especially  if  at  the  same 
time  you  are  pitted  against  observant  adversaries, 
you  should  expose  your  hand  as  little  as  possible, 
particularly  in  respect  of  minor  details. 

It  will  become  apparent,  on  consideration,  that 
the  question  of  the  advisability  of  affording  in- 
formation is  more  or  less  intimately  connected 
with  every  card  that  is  played.  It  is,  therefore, 
of  extreme  importance  to  ascertain  whether  the 
practice  is  advantageous  or  the  reverse.  The 
arguments  just  adduced  are  doubtless  in  favour 
of  the  practice  of  affording  information  by  the 
play  ; but  it  must  be  admitted  by  far  the  strong- 
est authority  for  it  is  that  experienced  players, 
by  their  settled  opinions,  reject  the  opposite 
course. 

The  instructed  player  frequently  selects  one 
card  in  preference  to  another  with  the  sole  object 
of  affording  information.  When  the  principle  is 
carried  thus  far,  the  play  becomes  purely  con- 
ventional. For  example  : — You  naturally  win  a 
trick  as  cheaply  as  possible  ; if,  fourth  hand, 
you  could  win  with  a ten,  you  would  not  waste 
an  ace.  But  suppose  you  hold  knave  and  ten, 
which  card  should  then  be  played  ? The  knave 
and  ten  in  one  hand  are  of  equal  value,  and 


140 


WHIST. 


therefore  to  win  with  the  knave  would  be  no 
unnecessary  sacrifice  of  strength.  Nevertheless, 
you  extend  to  such  cases  the  rule  of  winning 
as  cheaply  as  possible,  and  you  play  the  ten  for 
the  mere  purpose  of  conveying  information.  This 
is  a simple  instance  of  pure  convention.  Again  : 
— The  system  of  returning  the  higher  of  two  los- 
ing cards  (see  pp.  103-4)  when  they  are  both  small 
cards,  is  purely  conventional.  To  take  another 
case  : — After  two  rounds  of  your  four-card  suit, 
you  are  left  with  two  losing  cards,  say  the  six  and 
the  seven,  and  you,  having  the  lead,  are  about  to 
continue  the  suit  ; you  should  lead  the  six,  not 
the  seven,  in  accordance  with  the  rule  that  you 
lead  the  lowest  card  of  a suit,  except  with  com- 
manding strength.  This  being  the  convention, 
if  you  lead  the  seven,  your  partner  will  infer 
that  you  cannot  hold  the  six,  and  will  suppose 
that  you  led  from  a three-card  suit,  in  conse- 
quence of  exceptional  circumstances  ; if  he  is  a 
good  player  he  will  miscount  all  the  hands,  prob- 
ably to  your  mutual  discomfiture. 

Whist  conventions,  it  will  be  observed,  are  in 
accordance  with,  and  are  suggested  by,  principle. 
Indeed,  all  the  established  conventions  of  the 
game  are  so  chosen  as  to  harmonise  with  play 
that  would  naturally  be  adopted  independently 
of  convention.  The  aggregation  of  the  recognised 
rules  of  play,  including  the  established  conven- 
tions, constitutes  what  in  practice  is  called  the 
Conversation  of  the  Game  of  Whist. 


WHIST. 


141 

It  must  not  be  overlooked  that  unsound  play- 
ers often  deceive  unintentionally,  and  all  players 
sometimes  with  intention.  It  is,  therefore,  neces- 
sary to  be  on  your  guard  against  drawing  infer- 
ences too  rigidly. 

There  are  some  ways  of  conveying  informa- 
tion which  have  not  been  explained.  For  ex- 
ample : — If  you  have  the  complete  command  of 
a suit,  you  can  publish  the  fact  by  discarding  the 
highest  of  it ; the  presumption  being  that  you 
would  never  throw  away  a winning  card  with  a 
losing  one  in  your  hand.  If  you  discard  a sec- 
ond-best card  of  a suit  of  which  your  partner 
does  not  know  you  to  hold  a long  sequence,  you 
ought  to  have  no  more  of  the  suit,  for  with  the 
best  also  you  would  discard  that,  and  with  a 
smaller  one  you  would  discard  that.  By  win- 
ning with  the  highest  and  returning  the  lowest 
of  a sequence  (more  especially  fourth  hand),  you 
show  that  you  have  the  intermediate  cards. 
Thus,  with  ace,  king,  queen,  fourth  hand,  if  you 
desire  to  continue  the  suit,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  show  that  you  still  remain  with  the  winning 
card,  you  would  win  with  the  ace  and  return  the 
queen.  Again,  as  long  as  you  keep  the  turn-up 
card  in  hand,  your  partner  knows  where  it  is  ; 
so,  having  turned  up  a nine  and  holding  the  ten, 
trump  with  the  ten  in  preference.  This  rule, 
however,  is  liable  to  exceptions.  With  very 
small  trumps,  of  equal  value,  trumping  with  the 
higher  card  may  be  mistaken  for  an  exhibition 


142 


WHIST. 


of  four  or  five  trumps  ; also,  if  you  are  weak  in 
trumps,  and  the  adversaries  have  shown  strength 
in  them,  it  is  not  advisable  to  keep  the  turn-up 
card  ; for,  if  the  adversaries  know  you  have  it 
in  your  hand,  they  will  draw  it,  whereas,  if  you 
play  it,  they  may  be  uncertain  as  to  your  hold- 
ing another.  If  you  open  a suit  of  ace,  king 
only,  it  must  be  a forced  lead,  to  which  you 
would  only  resort  at  a late  period  of  the  hand. 
You  then  adopt  the  rule  of  leading  the  highest 
of  a numerically  weak  suit,  and  first  lead  the 
ace.  This  shows  your  partner  (unless  you  have 
already  been  forced,  when  you  lead  the  ace  be- 
fore king  for  other  reasons),  that  you  have  no 
more  of  the  suit.  Also,  by  leading  the  lowest 
of  a head  sequence  of  winning  trumps,  you  con- 
vey information.  Thus,  you  lead  a small  trump, 
partner  plays  queen,  won  with  king.  You  re- 
main with  ace,  knave,  ten.  On  obtaining  the 
lead,  you  continue  with  the  ten,  and,  when  it 
wins,  you  have  shown  ace,  knave  (unless  ace 
is  held  up,  which  is  unlikely).  If  you  con- 
tinue with  ace,  as  in  plain  suits,  your  partner 
can  tell  nothing  about  the  knave  and  ten.  You 
may  pursue  the  same  method  in  plain  suits  when 
your  partner  has  no  more  trumps,  and  with  any 
head  sequence  when  you  want  him  to  win  the 
trick,  or  are  sure  he  cannot,  and  also  when  the 
fourth  hand  has  already  renounced  in  the  suit 
led. 

A most  valuable  mode  of  conveying  very  pre- 


WHIST. 


143 


cise  information  of  strength  is  within  the  reach 
of  those  who  adopt  the  mode  of  leading  advised 
at  pp.  85-94.  As  some  of  these  leads  have  been 
questioned,  it  may  be  stated  that,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  the  Author,  they  are  advantageous  when 
played  by  partners  comprehending  them,  and 
that  they  form  a system  in  harmony  with  estab- 
lished principles. 

With  regard  to  this  system  as  applied  to  lead- 
ing a high  card  of  your  strong  suit  after  a high 
card,  no  one  disputes  the  advantage  of  leading 
ace,  then  queen,  from  ace,  queen,  knave,  and  one 
small  card  ; and  of  leading  ace,  then  knave,  from 
ace,  queen,  knave,  and  more  than  one  small 
card.  In  the  case  of  the  four-card  suit,  you  se- 
lect the  higher  card  to  tell  your  partner  not  to 
play  the  king,  as  you  have  not  sufficient  numeri- 
cal power  to  defend  the  suit  single-handed.  In 
the  case  of  a suit  of  more  than  four  cards,  you 
select  the  lower  card  that  your  partner  may  not 
retain  the  command  of  your  suit,  and  may  play 
the  king,  should  he  happen  to  have  held  king 
and  two  small  ones  originally.  For  a similar 
reason,  it  is  obvious  that  with  queen,  knave,  ten, 
and  one  small  card,  you  should  follow  queen 
with  knave  ; with  queen,  knave,  ten,  and  more 
than  one  small  card,  you  should  follow  queen 
with  ten. 

Now,  here  is  a germ  of  a principle  of  play. 
Holding  two  high  indifferent  cards,  and  only 
four  of  your  suit,  your  second  lead  is  the  higher 


144 


WHIST. 


card  ; holding  more  than  four,  your  second  lead 
is  the  lower  card. 

For  the  sake  of  uniformity,  you  should  pursue 
the  same  plan  in  all  cases  where,  after  your 
first  lead,  you  remain  with  two  high  indifferent 
cards.  Thus,  your  original  lead  is  a ten,  from 
king,  knave,  ten,  and  one  or  more  small  cards. 
The  queen  is  played  to  your  ten.  You  have 
the  lead  again,  and  it  is  immaterial,  so  far  as 
establishing  the  suit  is  concerned,  whether  you 
proceed  with  the  king  or  with  the  knave.  But, 
if  your  practice  is  uniform,  and  in  accordance 
with  the  practice  which  obtains  in  the  case  of 
ace,  queen,  knave,  and  of  queen,  knave,  ten,  you 
can  inform  your  partner  whether  you  led  from 
a suit  of  four  cards  or  of  more  than  four  cards. 
If  you  continue  with  the  king,  the  higher  of  two 
indifferent  cards,  you  led  from  king,  knave,  ten, 
and  one  small  card  ; if  you  continue  with  the 
knave,  the  lower  of  two  indifferent  cards,  you 
led  from  king,  knave,  ten,  and  more  than  one 
small  card. 

With  regard  to  the  system,  as  applied  to 
opening  your  strong  suit  with  a low  card,  those 
who  formerly  adopted  the  penultimate  lead  from 
suits  of  five  cards,  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
again  discovering  the  germ  of  a principle  of 
play.  The  fourth-best  card  of  your  suit  is  led 
from  suits  of  four  cards,  and  from  suits  of 
five  cards. 

You  have  only  to  apply  the  same  rule  to  suits 


WHIST. 


145 


of  more  than  five  cards,  and  to  lead  your  fourth- 
best  card.  You  then  pursue  a uniform  practice, 
and  at  the  same  time  convey  information  which 
may  be  very  useful. 

As  an  illustration,  take  this  suit — queen,  ten, 
nine,  eight.  You  lead  the  eight.  Now  suppose 
your  suit  to  be  queen,  ten,  nine,  eight,  three. 
You  still  lead  the  eight.  Now  add  one  more 
card.  Your  suit  is  queen,  ten,  nine,  eight,  three, 
two.  You  should  still  lead  the  eight.  No  doubt, 
a careful  player  would  lead  the  eight,  as  a card 
of  protection,  even  if  systematic  leads  had  never 
been  thought  of.  With  lower  cards,  such  as 
queen,  nine,  eight,  seven,  three,  two,  it  is  pos- 
sible a careful  player  might  lead  the  seven  ; 
and  with  still  lower  cards,  where  is  he  to  stop  ? 
The  knot  is  cut  by  the  very  simple  and  uniform 
rule  of  leading  the  fourth  best,  without  reference 
to  the  possibility  of  its  being  a card  of  protection. 

The  more  the  system  of  leading,  developed  at 
pp.  85-94  is  examined,  the  more  thorough  it  will 
be  found.  Care,  however,  must  be  taken,  with 
leads  late  in  a hand,  not  to  confuse  a fourth-best 
lead  with  a forced  lead  of  the  highest  card  of  a 
weak  suit.  The  fourth-best  rule  only  applies,  in 
its  integrity,  to  the  original  lead, — or  after  one  or 
more  tricks  have  been  played,  to  the  original  lead 
of  the  player’s  own  choice.  Also,  it  may  be,  that 
the  leader,  with  very  strong  cards  in  all  plain  suits, 
starts  by  leading  a strengthening  trump.  The 
uncertainty  of  the  real  character  of  the  lead,  in 


10 


146 


WHIST. 


this  case,  is  no  doubt  unfavourable  ; but,  the 
advantage  of  frequently  being  able  to  give  infor- 
mation of  great  numerical  strength  far  outweighs 
this  occasional  danger. 

When  you  are  forced,  and  proceed  to  lead  high 
trumps,  the  cards  led  should  indicate  how  many 
trumps  you  now  hold  (not  how  many  you  held 
originally).  If  you  proceed  to  lead  a low  trump, 
it  should  be  the  fourth  best  of  those  remaining 
in  hand  after  trumping  with  your  lowest.  It  may 
be  that  you  deem  it  right  to  lead  a low  trump 
after  being  forced,  when  you  have  but  three  re- 
maining. Such  a lead  can  only  be  called  for 
owing  to  the  state  of  the  score,  or  the  previous 
fall  of  the  cards.  Under  such  circumstances, 
your  partner  should  not  necessarily  credit  you 
with  four  trumps  after  being  forced,  because  you 
lead  your  lowest.  If  you  take  a force,  when 
you  have  five  trumps,  and  do  not  intend  to  lead 
a trump  after  the  force,  you  should  generally 
trump  with  your  fourth  best.  When  your  lowest 
is  afterwards  played,  it  indicates  five  trumps 
originally,  and  does  not  constitute  a call  for 
trumps  (see  p.  154). 


WHIST. 


H7 


TRUMPS. 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  TRUMPS. 

The  Management  of  Trumps  is,  perhaps,  the 
most  difficult  of  the  problems  presented  to  the ' 
Whist-player.  Before  discussing  the  special  uses 
of  trumps,  it  may  be  observed  that  in  some  few 
hands  trumps  are  led  like  plain  suits,  because  they 
are  your  strongest  suit,  and  you  prefer  leading 
them  to  opening  a weak  suit.  The  principles 
already  discussed,  which  guide  us  to  the  most 
favourable  chances  for  making  tricks  in  a suit, 
apply  to  trumps  equally  with  other  suits.  The 
privilege,  however,  enjoyed  by  the  trump  suit  of 
winning  every  other,  causes  some  modifications  of 
detail  (noticed  at  pp.  85-94,  and  at  pp.  109-112)  ; 
for,  since  the  winning  trumps  must  make  tricks, 
you  play  a more  backward  game  in  the  trump 
suit.  Thus,  with  ace,  king,  and  small  trumps,  you 
lead  a small  one,  by  which  you  obtain  an  in- 
creased chance  of  making  tricks  in  the  suit,  and 
you  keep  the  command  of  it,  and  must  have  the 
lead  after  the  third  round,  the  advantage  of 
which  will  be  presently  explained.  Even  if  your 
partner  is  so  weak  in  trumps  that  the  opponent 
wins  the  first  trick  very  cheaply,  but  little  (if 
any)  harm  accrues  ; for  the  opponent  then  has 
to  open  a suit  up  to  you  or  your  partner. 


148 


WHIST. 


In  the  great  majority  of  hands,  trumps  are  ap- 
plied to  their  special  uses,  viz.:  1.  To  disarm  the 
opponents/  and  to  prevent  their  trumping  your 
winning  cards ; and  2.  To  trump  the  winning  cards 
of  the  adversaries.  In  order  to  comprehend  when 
trumps  may  be  most  profitably  applied  to  the  first, 
and  when  to  the  second,  of  these  uses,  we  must 
first  clearly  perceive  the  objects  aimed  at  through- 
out the  hand,  viz.  : to  establish  a suit,  to  exhaust 
the  adversaries’  trumps,  and  to  retain  the  long 
trump,  or  a certain  winning  card  with  which  to  ob- 
tain the  lead  again,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing 
in  the  suit  ; also  to  endeavour  to  obstruct  simi- 
lar designs  of  the  opponents.  It  follows  that 
you  should 


13.  LEAD  TRUMPS  WHEN  VERY  STRONG 
IN  THEM. 

It  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  that  the 
primary  use  of  strength  in  trumps  is  to  draw  the 
adversaries'  trumps  for  the  bringing  in  of  your  own 
or  your  partner  s long  suit . With  great  strength  in 
trumps  (five  or  more),  you  may  proceed  at  once 
to  disarm  the  opponents,  and  lead  trumps  without 
waiting  to  establish  a suit.  For,  with  five  trumps 
or  more,  the  chance  of  your  succeeding  in  drawing 
the  other  trumps,  and  of  being  left  with  the  long 
trumps  is  so  considerable,  that  you  may  then  al- 
most always  lead  trumps,  whatever  your  other 
cards.  The  exceptional  hands  are  principally 


WHIST. 


149 


those  which  contain  five  trumps  without  an 
honour,  and  five  small  cards  of  a plain  suit ; or 
five  trumps  without  an  honour,  and  four  middling 
cards  of  one  plain  suit  together  with  four  bad 
cards  of  another  plain  suit.  But  if  the  adver- 
saries are  very  forward  in  the  score,  you  should 
lead  a trump  with  these  hands,  as  your  partner 
must  have  very  good  cards  for  you  to  save 
the  game. 

If  you  are  forward  in  the  score  you  should  not 
lead  a trump  merely  because  you  have  five 
trumps,  unaccompanied  by  a very  strong  suit,  or 
by  good  cards  in  each  suit.  For  here,  if  your 
partner  has  good  cards  in  trumps,  you  probably 
win  the  game  in  any  case ; and  if  he  has  not,  you 
open  the  trump  suit  to  a disadvantage.  Some 
good  players,  however,  do  not  allow  this  to  be  an 
exceptional  case.  The  turn-up  card  may  some- 
times cause  you  to  refrain  from  leading  trumps 
from  five.  Thus: — You  have  king,  ten,  nine, 
six,  and  four  of  spades  (trumps)  ; ace,  queen,  and 
three  small  diamonds  ; and  three  small  hearts. 
You  are  six  (if  the  game  is  seven  up)  or  four  (if 
it  is  five  up)  ; the  ace  of  spades  is  turned.  In 
the  opinion  of  most  players,  the  ace  of  diamonds 
is  the  best  original  lead  ; but,  if  an  ace  was  not 
turned,  you  should  lead  a trump. 

It  is  often  said,  even  by  pretty  good  players, 
“ Strength  in  trumps  is  no  reason  for  leading 
them,  unless  you  have  a good  suit  as  well.”  If 
both  you  and  your  partner  are  devoid  of  good 


IS° 


WHIST. 


cards  you  cannot  make  tricks;  but  should  your 
partner  hold  one  good  suit  out  of  the  three,  you 
will  very  likely  bring  it  in  for  him  by  leading 
from  strength  in  trumps.  For,  even  if  you  have 
a poor  hand  out  of  trumps,  you  will  discover  in 
the  course  of  play  (/.*.,  by  the  suits  led  or  dis- 
carded by  the  other  players),  what  your  partner’s 
suit  is,  and  will  be  able  to  lead  it  to  him  each 
time  you  obtain  the  lead  with  your  long  trumps. 
Besides,  if  your  hand  is  weak  out  of  trumps,  you 
are  placed  in  the  disadvantageous  position  of 
leading  from  a weak  suit  unless  you  lead  trumps. 

You  should  not  be  deterred  from  leading 
trumps  merely  because  an  honour  is*  turned  up  to 
your  right,  nor  necessarily  lead  them  because  the 
same  happens  to  your  left  ; either  is  proper  if 
the  circumstances  of  the  hand  require  it,  but 
neither  otherwise.  To  illustrate  this  proposition, 
take  this  hand  : — Ace,  queen,  and  three  small 
spades  (trumps),  three  small  hearts,  three  small 
clubs,  and  two  small  diamonds.  The  king  of 
spades  is  turned  up  fourth  hand.  The  best  lead 
is  disputed  ; but  the  Author  has  no  hesitation  in 
advising  the  lead  of  a small  trump,  notwith- 
standing that  there  is  a certain  finesse  over  the 
king.  A little  consideration  will  render  this 
apparent.  By  leading  the  trump  suit  originally, 
you  obtain  the  advantages  just  enumerated,  and 
make  the  dealer  open  a suit  up  to  your  partner. 
Your  partner,  as  soon  as  he  has  the  lead,  will 
return  the  trump,  and  you  thus  obtain  the  com- 


WHIST. 


mand  of  trumps  whether  the  king  was  forced  out 
on  the  first  round  or  not. 

Bearing  in  mind  the  severe  consequences  of 
leaving  the  adversary  with  the  long  trump,  you 
must  be  cautious  in  leading  trumps  from  less 
than  five  ; four  trumps  and  a moderate  hand  not 
justifying  an  original  trump  lead.  You  should, 
instead,  lead  your  strong  plain  suit,  and  if 
you  establish  it,  and  the  adversaries  do  not 
meantime  show  any  great  strength,  as  by  lead- 
ing or  calling  for  trumps,  you  may  then,  with 
four  trumps,  mostly  venture  a trump  lead.  With 
strength  in  trumps  you  may  generally  finesse 
more  freely  in  the  second  and  third  rounds 
of  trumps  than  you  would  in  plain  suits.  In 
plain  suits  an  unsuccessful  finesse  may  result 
in  the  best  card  being  afterwards  trumped, 
which  cannot  happen  in  trumps.  Moreover,  by 
finessing,  you  keep  the  winning  trump,  and  so 
obtain  the  lead  after  the  third  round.  This  is 
especially  important  when  you  have  a suit  es- 
tablished and  but  four  trumps.  Here  you  should, 
generally,  not  merely  finesse  on  the  second 
round,  but  hold  up  the  winning  trump,  and  some- 
times at  this  juncture  refuse  to  part  with  it  even 
if  the  trump  lead  comes  from  the  adversary. 

An  example  will  render  this  more  clear.  The 
leader  (A)  has  ace,  and  three  small  trumps,  a 
strong  suit,  headed  by  ace,  king,  queen,  and  a 
probable  trick,  say  king  and  another,  in  a third 
suit.  A should,  in  the  writer’s  judgment,  lead  a 


T52 


WHIST. 


trump.  If  B (A’s  partner)  wins  the  first  trick  in 
trumps,  and  returns  a strengthening  trump.  A, 
as  a rule,  should  not  part  with  his  ace.  When  A 
or  B obtain  the  lead  again  they  play  a third 
round  of  trumps,  which,  being  won  by  the  ace, 
enables  A,  by  leading  his  tierce  major,  to  force 
(i.e.,  to  compel  one  of  his  adversaries  to  trump 
in  order  to  win  the  trick),  in  which  case  nothing 
short  of  five  trumps  in  one  hand  against 
him  can  prevent  A’s  bringing  in  his  suit.  You 
must  be  prepared  for  similar  tactics  on  the  part 
of  the  adversaries,  and  not  conclude  that  they 
have  not  the  best  trump  because  they  suffer  you 
to  win  the  first  or  second  round. 

With  a well  protected  hand  containing  four 
trumps,  two  being  honours,  a trump  may  be  led 
originally.  For  here  the  chance  of  gaining  by 
the  trump  lead  may  be  taken  as  greater  than  the 
chance  of  losing.  Thus  with  queen,  knave,  and 
two  small  trumps,  a four  suit  with  an  honour,  say 
for  example,  knave,  ten,  nine,  and  a small  one, 
king  guarded  in  the  third  suit,  and  queen 
guarded  in  the  fourth,  a small  trump  if  it  finds 
partner  with  reasonable  strength  is  by  no  means 
unlikely  to  result  in  a considerable  score.  If 
partner  turns  out  very  weak  in  trumps  the  leader 
must  alter  his  plan,  and,  instead  of  continuing 
the  trump  lead,  play  to  save  the  game  or  make 
the  odd  trick,  according  to  the  fall  of  the  cards 
in  plain  suits. 

Trump  leads,  without  strength  in  trumps, 


WHIST. 


153 


can  only  be  right  in  consequence  of  some  spe- 
cial circumstance  in  the  state  of  the  game,  or  of 
the  score.  For  instance,  great  commanding 
strength  in  all  the  plain  suits  may  call  for  a 
trump  lead  ; or  it  may  be  necessitated  to  stop  a 
cross-ruff  (i.e.,  the  alternate  trumping  by  part- 
ners of  different  suits,  each  leading  the  suit  in 
which  the  other  renounces),  in  which  case  it  is 
generally  advisable  to  take  out  two  rounds  if 
possible  ; so  with  the  winning  trump  you  lead 
it,  whatever  your  others  are.  Again,  if  you 
have  a wretched  hand  and  are  love  to  five 
or  six,  you  assume  that  the  game  is  lost,  unless 
your  partner  is  very  strong  ; and  if  he  is  very 
strong,  the  trump  is  the  best  lead  for  him. 
This  doctrine  is  frequently  carried  to  excess,  as, 
by  concealing  your  weakness,  you  often  stand  a 
better  chance  of  saving  the  game,  than  by  at 
once  exposing  it.  If,  therefore,  you  have  one 
four  suit,  headed  by  an  honour,  you  would  gener- 
ally do  better  to  choose  that. 

The  trump  lead  is  so  much  more  important 
than  any  other  that  you  should  almost  always 
return  your  partner’s  lead  of  trumps  immediately , 
except  he  has  led  from  weakness,  when  you  are 
not  bound  to  return  it  unless  it  suits  your  hand. 

If  you  find  one  of  the  adversaries  without  a 
trump,  you  should  mostly  proceed  to  establish 
your  long  suit,  and  abstain  from  drawing  two 
trumps  for  one  ; to  say  nothing  of  the  prob- 
ability that  the  adversary  who  has  not  re- 


r54 


WHIST. 


nounced  is  unusually  strong  in  trumps.  Besides, 
when  he  has  the  lead,  he  will  very  likely  lead 
trumps  in  order  to  draw  two  for  one  ; and  it  is 
more  advantageous  to  you  that  the  lead  should 
come  from  him.  On  the  other  hand,  if  your 
partner  has  no  trump,  it  is  often  right  to  en- 
deavour to  weaken  the  adversaries  by  continuing 
even  their  trump  lead. 

It  is  a common  artifice,  if  you  wish  a trump  to 
be  led,  to  drop  a high  card  to  the  adversary’s  lead, 
to  induce  him  to  believe  that  you  will  trump  it 
next  round,  whereupon  the  leader  will  very  likely 
change  the  suit,  and  perhaps  lead  trumps.  Thus, 
if  he  leads  king  (from  ace,  king,  and  others),  and 
you  hold  queen  and  one  other,  it  is  evident  that 
you  cannot  make  the  queen.  If  you  throw  the 
queen  to  his  king,  he  may  lead  a trump  to  prevent 
your  trumping  his  ace  ; but  if  he  goes  on  with  the 
suit,  and  you  drop  your  small  card,  it  may  fairly 
be  inferred  that  you  have  been  endeavouring  to 
persuade  him  to  lead  a trump.  Your  partner 
should  now  take  the  hint,  and,  if  he  obtains  the 
lead,  lead  trumps  ; for  if  you  want  them  led,  it  is 
of  little  consequence  from  whom  the  lead  comes. 
By  a conventional  extension  of  this  system  to 
lower  cards  it  is  understood  that,  whenever  you 
throw  away  an  unnecessarily  high  card,  it  is  a sign 
(after  the  smaller  card  drops)  that  you  want 
trumps  led.  This  is  called  asking  for  trumps  or 
calling  for  trumps. 

When  you  ask  for  trumps,  you  command  your 


WHIST. 


*55 


partner  to  abandon  his  own  game,  and  to  lead  a 
trump  ; and  you  promise  him,  in  return,  if  he  has 
reasonably  good  cards,  either  to  win  the  game  or 
to  make  a considerable  score.  It  has  been  laid 
down,  that  the  minimum  strength  in  trumps  which 
justifies  you  in  issuing  such  an  order  to  your  part- 
ner is  four  trumps,  two  being  honours,  or  five 
trumps,  one  being  an  honour,  accompanied  by 
such  cards  in  your  own  or  your  partner’s  suits 
that  you  are  reasonably  secure  of  not  having  a 
suit  brought  in  against  you.  This  rule,  however, 
only  applies  to  an  original  ask.  If  you  have  had 
the  lead,  and  have  not  led  a trump,  or  if  you  have 
had  an  opportunity  of  asking  and  have  not  asked, 
and  you  then  ask  for  trumps  at  a later  period  of 
the  hand,  the  ask  is  not  a command,  like  an  orig- 
inal one,  nor  does  it  necessarily  imply  the  posses- 
sion of  the  minimum  strength  above  stated.  It 
merely  means  that,  from  the  fall  of  the  cards, 
you  consider  a trump  lead  would  be  very  ad- 
vantageous. For  example  : — You  hold  ace  and 
a small  spade  ; king,  ten,  and  two  small  hearts 
(trumps)  ; queen  and  two  small  clubs  ; and  knave, 
ten  and  two  other  diamonds.  You  lead  a small 
diamond  ; your  partner  plays  the  queen  ; the 
fourth  hand  plays  the  ace.  A small  club  is  now 
led  through  you.  You  should  ask  for  trumps. 

When  your  partner  asks  for  trumps,  and  you 
have  four  or  more  at  the  time  you  obtain  the 
lead,  lead  the  smallest,  unless  you  have  the  ace, 
or  three  honours,  or  queen,  knave,  ten  ; if  you 


TS6 


WHIST. 


have  only  two  or  three  trumps  when  you  obtain 
the  lead,  lead  from  the  highest  downwards,  what- 
ever they  are. 

Before  answering  the  ask,  be  sure  that  the 
higher  card,  previously  dropped,  is  unnecessarily 
high.  For  instance,  a higher  card  is  often  played 
before  a lower,  to  show  that  you  command  the 
suit,  or  that  you  hold  the  intermediate  cards,  or 
to  unblock  your  partner’s  suit.  It  is  very  im- 
portant to  distinguish  between  covering  second 
hand  and  discarding  an  unnecessarily  high  card. 
For  example  : — With  knave,  ten,  and  one  other 
(say  the  three),  it  is  usual  to  play  the  ten  second 
hand  on  a small  card.  When  your  three  comes 
down  on  the  next  round,  it  is  not  an  ask  for 
trumps,  unless  your  partner  can  infer  that  you 
do  not  hold  the  knave.  Moderate  players,  who 
know  of  the  ask,  never  consider  this  ; so  with 
them  the  choice  of  the  less  evil  is  generally 
not  to  cover,  for  you  otherwise  run  the  terrible 
risk  of  having  a strengthening  trump  led  to  you 
with  a weak  hand.  To  ask  for  trumps,  second 
hand,  with  knave,  ten,  and  one  other,  you  must 
play  the  knave. 

When  your  partner  leads  a trump,  or  asks  for 
trumps,  if  you  have  numerical  strength  in  trumps, 
you  should  ask  at  the  first  opportunity.  This  is 
called  the  echo  of  the  call , though  it  is  made  use 
of  also  in  response  to  a lead. 

The  advantages  of  the  echo  are  manifold. 
Your  partner  being  strong  in  trumps  may  hesi- 


WHIST. 


J57 


tate  to  take  a force,  but  your  echo  enables  him 
to  do  so  without  fear,  and  to  persevere  with  the 
trump  lead.  Or,  your  partner  may  be  in  doubt 
after  the  second  round  of  trumps  as  to  the  pol- 
icy of  playing  a third.  But  if  he  can  count  two 
more  trumps  in  your  hand  he  will  be  directed. 
Thus  : — Eight  are  out,  your  partner  has  three 
more  ; you  have  echoed.  * He  will  know  that 
the  other  two  are  in  your  hand,  and  will  not 
draw  two  for  none,  as,  without  the  echo,  he 
might  do. 

The  negative  advantage  of  the  echo  should 
not  be  overlooked.  Thus  : — To  take  the  same 
case  of  eight  trumps  being  out,  and  the  leader 
with  three  more  trumps.  You  (his  partner)  have 
had  the  chance  of  sounding  an  echo,  but  have 
not  done  so.  The  leader  knows  that  you  have 
not  both  the  remaining  trumps,  and  he  will  regu- 
late his  game  accordingly. 

To  your  partner’s  trump  lead  you  echo  in  the 
trump  suit  ; the  same  if  partner  calls,  and  you 
are  forced.  Thus  : — You  have  eight,  seven,  five, 
two  of  trumps  ; your  left-hand  adversary  leads 
king,  ace  of  a suit  of  which  you  only  hold  one. 
Your  partner  calls.  You  echo,  by  trumping  with 
the  five,  and  you  then  lead  the  eight.  On  the 
second  round  of  trumps,  when  your  deuce  falls, 
the  echo  is  completed.  Your  partner  knows 
that  you  have  one  more  trump,  either  the  six  or 
the  seven.  If  you  had  not  echoed,  he  might  not 
be  able  to  tell  for  certain  whether  you  hold  an 


WHIST. 


158 

other  trump  or  not.  (See  Hands  XXXIV, 
XXXV.) 

If  you  have  four  trumps  and  are  forced,  and 
your  partner  then  leads  or  asks  for  trumps,  you 
should  echo,  notwithstanding  that  you  no  longer 
have  numerical  strength.  This  case  can  best  be 
illustrated  by  an  example.  (See  Hand  XXXVI.) 

The  sub-echo  shows  the  original  possession  of 
three  trumps,  when  you  have  already  shown  you 
could  not  hold  four,  by  the  value  of  the  cards 
you  lead  or  play  after  your  partner’s  trump  lead 
or  call.  Thus,  you  play  the  two  to  his  first  lead 
of  trumps,  or  lead  or  return  a strengthening 
trump,  in  each  case  showing  you  could  not  hold 
four.  If  you  afterwards  echo  in  a plain  suit,  you 
declare  three  originally.  Or,  if  you  refuse  to 
echo  in  the  plain  suit  first  led  after  your  part- 
ner’s call  or  lead,  and  echo  in  the  second  ; or,  if 
you  defer  the  completion  of  an  echo  to  the  third 
round  of  a plain  suit  (playing  say  three,  then 
four,  and  lastly  the  two  of  that  suit),  you  have 
sub-echoed,  and  had  three  trumps  originally. 

The  use  of  strength  in  trumps  being  to  dis- 
arm the  opponents,  it  follows  that  you  should  as 
much  as  possible  husband  your  strength  for  that 
purpose.  Therefore  when  second  player, 

14.  DO  NOT  TRUMP  A DOUBTFUL  CARD 
IF  STRONG  IN  TRUMPS. 

By  a doubtful  card  is  meant  a card  of  a suit 
of  which  your  partner  may  have  the  best. 


WHIST. 


159 

Whether  you  should  trump  or  refuse  to  trump 
a doubtful  card  depends  almost  entirely  on  your 
strength  in  trumps.  It  has  already  been  men- 
tioned that  it  is  an  advantage  to  trump  when 
you  are  weak,  for  you  thus  make  a little  trump, 
which  is  not  available  for  the  other  uses  of 
trumps,  and  which,  if  not  used  for  trumping, 
will  presently  be  drawn  by  the  strong  hand.  It 
is  conversely  a disadvantage  to  trump  a doubt- 
ful card  when  you  are  strong  in  trumps,  for  by 
trumping  you  weaken  your  numerical  power, 
and  diminish  the  probability  of  your  bringing  in 
a suit.  If,  instead  of  trumping,  you  throw  away 
a losing  card,  you  inform  your  partner  that  you 
have  strength  in  trumps,  and  also,  by  your  dis- 
card, what  your  strong  suit  is  ; and  if  your  part- 
ner has  any  strength  in  the  suit  led,  you  leave 
him  in  a favourable  position. 

If  you  refuse  to  overtrump,  or  to  trump  a cer- 
tain winning  card,  your  partner  should  conclude 
either  that  you  have  no  trump,  or  more  probably 
four  trumps  and  a powerful  hand  besides.  If 
he  concludes  that  you  are  reserving  your  trumps 
to  bring  in  a suit,  he  should  assist  you  by  lead- 
ing trumps  as  soon  as  he  can.  A refusal  to  be 
thus  forced  is  seldom  requisite  if  you  have  more 
than  four  trumps  ; with  six  you  are  mostly  strong 
enough  to  trump  and  to  lead  trumps  ; with  five 
you  may  do  the  same,  if  your  suit  is  established; 
but  if  not,  it  is  generally  best  to  take  the  force, 
and  to  lead  your  suit. 


i6o 


WHIST. 


The  situations  in  which  it  is  most  necessary 
to  refuse  to  overtrump  your  right-hand  adver- 
sary, or  to  refuse  to  trump  a winning  card,  oc- 
cur when  you  have  four  trumps  and  a very 
strong  suit,  or  a suit  established  early  in  a hand. 
For  then,  by  trumping,  you  prejudice  your 
chance  of  bringing  in  the  suit  in  order  to  secure 
one  trick.  By  refusing  to  part  with  a trump  in 
these  cases,  you  obtain  the  advantages  just 
enumerated,  at  the  time  when  they  are  most 
likely  to  become  of  service  ; and,  where  you  refuse 
to  overtrump,  your  adversary  is  left  with  one 
trump  less,  by  which  your  hand  is  strengthened. 

Many  players  run  into  the  extreme  of  always 
refusing  to  be  forced  by  a winning  card  when 
they  are  strong  in  trumps.  The  situations,  how- 
ever, just  indicated,  are  almost  the  only  ones  in 
which  it  answers  to  hold  up  ; and  these  even 
are  liable  to  several  exceptions.  For  instance  : 
— i.  You  should  not  persist  in  refusing  to  be 
forced  if  you  find  that  the  adversary  has  the  en- 
tire command  of  his  suit.  2.  You  should  not 
refuse  if  your  partner  evidently  intends  to  force 
you  ; and,  3.  You  should  not  refuse  to  over- 
trump if  you  have  reason  to  believe  that  your 
left-hand  adversary  is  strong  in  trumps. 

With  an  untaught  partner  it  is  useless  to  re- 
fuse to  trump ; he  will  not  understand  it,  but 
will  continue  to  force  you.  With  such,  the  best 
course  is  rather  to  make  tricks  when  you  can 
than  to  play  for  a great  game. 


WHIST. 


161 


From  what  has  just  been  said,  it  is  evidently 
an  advantage  to 

15.  FORCE  A STRONG  TRUMP  HAND  OF 

THE  ADVERSARY. 

For  you  thereby  take  the  best  chance  of  pre- 
venting his  making  use  of  his  trumps  for  bring- 
ing in  a suit.  If  he  refuses  to  take  a force,  keep 
on  giving  it  to  him. 

For  instance,  if  he  passes  your  king  (led  from 
king,  queen,  etc.),  and  the  king  wins,  continue 
the  suit,  and  so  on.  Some  players  can  never  be 
brought  to  understand  this  ; they  do  not  like 
to  see  their  winning  cards  trumped,  and  there- 
fore frequently  change  their  suit  or  even  lead 
trumps  when  an  adversary  refuses  to  be  forced. 

It  now  hardly  requires  to  be  stated  that  it  is 
bad  play  intentionally  to  force  a weak  adversary, 
and  still  worse  to  lead  a suit  to  which  both  ad- 
versaries renounce,  as  the  weak  will  trump  and 
the  strong  get  rid  of  a losing  card. 

If  you  have  numerical  strength  in  trumps,  you 
are  justified  in  forcing  your  partner,  relying  on 
your  own  strength  to  disarm  the  opponents.  But 

16.  DO  NOT  FORCE  YOUR  PARTNER  IF 

YOU  ARE  WEAK  IN  TRUMPS. 

For  you  thus  weaken  him,  and  leave  it  in  the 
power  of  the  antagonists  to  draw  all  the  trumps, 


ii 


162 


WHIST. 


and  bring  in  their  suit.  If,  then,  a good  partner 
refrains  from  forcing  you,  you  may  be  sure  he  is 
weak  ; on  the  other  hand,  if  he  evidently  intends 
to  force  you  (as  by  leading  a losing  card  of  a 
suit  he  knows  you  must  trump),  you  may  assume 
that  he  is  strong  in  trumps,  and  you  should  take 
the  force  willingly,  even  though  you  do  not  want 
to  be  forced,  depending  on  his  strength  to  ex- 
haust the  adversaries’  trumps. 

You  may,  however,  though  weak,  force  your 
partner  under  these  circumstances.  1.  When  he 
has  already  shown  a desire  to  be  forced,  or  weak- 
ness in  trumps,  as  by  trumping  a doubtful  card, 
or  by  refraining  from  forcing  you.  2.  When  you 
have  a cross-ruff,  which  secures  several  tricks  at 
once,  and  is  therefore  often  more  advantageous 
than  trying  to  establish  a suit.  3.  Sometimes 
when  you  are  playing  a close  game,  as  for  the 
odd  trick,  and  often  when  one  trick  saves  or 
wins  the  game.  And  4.  Sometimes  when  great 
strength  in  trumps  has  been  declared  against 
you. 

If  your  partner  leads  a thirteenth  card,  or  a 
card  of  a suit  in  which  he  knows  that  both  you 
and  the  fourth  player  renounce,  your  play  must 
depend  on  your  partner’s  strength  in  trumps.  If 
he  is  strong,  he  wants  you  to  put  on  your  best 
trump,  either  to  make  the  trumps  separately,  or 
to  force  out  one  or  two  high  ones,  to  leave  him- 
self with  the  command.  If  he  is  weak  in  trumps, 
he  wants  you  to  pass  the  card,  that  the  fourth 


WHIST. 


163 


player  may  obtain  the  lead,  and  lead  up  to  your 
hand.  No  general  rule  can  be  given  as  to  the 
course  to  be  pursued  with  regard  to  thirteenth 
cards.  You  must  judge  of  the  leader’s  intention 
by  the  score  and  the  previous  fall  of  the  cards. 


164 


WHIST. 


PLAYING  TO  THE  BOARD. 


17.  PLAY  TO  THE  SCORE; 

AND 

18.  WATCH  THE  FALL  OF  THE  CARDS,  AND 

DRAW  YOUR  INFERENCES  AT  THE  TIME. 

These  two  all-important  principles  have  already 
been  mentioned  as  causing  differences  in  the 
play.  The  commonest  form  in  which  the  former 
is  presented  is  this  : at  any  score  (game  seven 
up),  one  trick  more  than  the  adverse  score  saves 
the  game.  Thus,  AB  have  scored  four  ; the 
fifth  trick  won  by  YZ  saves  the  game.  It  is 
sound  play,  therefore,  at  such  score,  to  make 
the  fifth  trick  by  leading  a winning  card,  or  by 
putting  one  on  second  or  third  hand.  If  the 
game  is  five  up,  three  tricks  in  excess  of  the  ad- 
verse score  save  the  game. 

Again  : — it  is  generally  right  to  play  for  the 
odd  trick,  as,  at  straight  whist,  that  trick  makes 
a difference  of  two  to  the  score.  To  take  a 
simple  case.  Love-all ; all  the  trumps  out ; two 
cards  in  each  hand,  viz.,  seven  clubs  and  one 
heart.  Cl&bs  have  been  led  once,  and  your  part- 
ner (then  third  hand),  won  the  trick  with  the  ace. 
Your  partner  now  leads  a small  club.  The 


WHIST. 


i65 


second  hand  plays  a small  club  ; and  you, 
third  hand,  hold  king,  knave.  It  is  evident  that 
the  queen  of  clubs,  and  the  thirteenth  heart  are 
both  against  you  ; but  there  is  nothing  to  show 
how  these  cards  lie  as  regards  the  hands  of  the 
opponents.  If  you  have  six  tricks  up,  you  should 
make  sure  of  the  odd  trick,  by  playing  the  king 
of  clubs  ; if  you  have  five  tricks  up,  you  should 
risk  the  loss  of  the  remaining  tricks,  and  finesse 
the  knave. 

To  explain  further  what  is  meant  by  playing 
to  the  score,  put  yourself  in  this  situation.  Four 
trumps  remain  in,  the  adversaries  have  two  win- 
ning trumps,  it  being  uncertain  whether  they  are 
in  one  hand  or  divided  ; you  have  the  two  losing 
trumps,  two  forcing  cards,  and  the  lead  ; you  can 
only  play  correctly  by  referring  to  the  score. 
Thus,  if  the  adversary  is  at  six,  and  you  have 
won  five,  or  even  six  tricks,  your  game  would 
be  to  secure  two  tricks  by  forcing  ; for  if  you 
play  a trump  and  the  two  against  you  are  in  the 
same  hand,  you  lose  the  game.  But  suppose  you 
are  at  the  point  of  four,  and  the  adversaries  are 
not  at  six,  and  you  have  won  six  tricks,  your 
game  would  be  to  risk  the  trump  ; for  if  you  bring 
down  the  other  trumps  you  win  the  game  ; but  by 
playing  to  force  you  make  certain  of  scoring  only 
six.  By  applying  this  mode  of  reasoning  you 
will  often  be  directed  as  to  a finesse  late  in  a 
hand.  (Further  illustrations  of  playing  to  the 
score  occur  in  the  Hands.) 


1 66 


WHIST. 


For  simple  examples  of  drawing  inferences  at 
the  time  from  the  fall  of  the  cards,  take  the  follow- 
ing : — i.  You  lead  a small  card  from  ace,  knave, 
etc.;  your  partner  wins  with  the  queen;  you 
should  immediately  ( i.e.y  before  another  card  is  led) 
infer  that  the  king  cannot  be  with  your  right- 
hand  adversary.  Hence,  on  the  return  of  the 
suit,  you  would  not  finesse  the  knave.  2.  You 
are  second  player,  and  a suit  is  led  in  which  you 
have  king,  ten,  and  one  small  one.  You  play 
the  small  one.  The  third  hand  plays  the  queen, 
which  is  won  with  the  ace.  You  should  at  once 
infer  that  the  third  hand  cannot  have  the  knave, 
and  that  you  may  safely  finesse  the  ten  next  round. 

You  will  greatly  assist  your  memory  by  syste- 
matically recording  inferences  in  the  above  man- 
ner. In  addition  to  this  you  should  apply  your 
knowledge  of  the  principles  to  noting  impor- 
tant points,  not  attempting  too  much  at  first. 
Begin  by  counting  the  trumps  as  they  fall,  and 
notice,  at  all  events,  the  high  trumps,  and  re- 
member the  turn-up  card.  By  degrees  you  will 
find  yourself  able  to  recollect  the  ten  and  nine, 
and  then  the  smaller  trumps.  Next  attend  to 
the  suit  led  originally  by  each  player,  and  watch 
on  the  second  round  whether  the  lead  was  from 
strength  or  weakness.  Try  also  to  remember 
the  fall  of  the  cards  in  your  own  strong  suit, 
that  you  may  know  when  it  is  established.  Be- 
yond this,  experience  will  enable  you  to  judge 
what  to  retain  and  what  to  reject  in  each  hand  ; 


WHIST. 


167 

so  that,  with  practice,  you  will  acquire  what  may 
be  termed  Whist  Memory  which  will  enable  you, 
without  any  great  effort,  to  recollect  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  every  hand. 

The  fall  of  the  cards  may,  one  time  or  an- 
other, modify  nearly  every  rule  of  play.  A 
player  who  simply  follows  rule,  and  fails  to 
grasp  the  situations  in  which  rule  should  be  de- 
parted from,  is  a mere  machine  without  intelli- 
gence. General  principles  only  apply  to  the 
general  case  ; to  apply  them  to  particular  cases, 
observation,  inference,  and  judgment  are  essen- 
tial. Thus,  in  the  Analysis  of  Leads,  it  appears 
that  the  card  which  should  be  led  in  trumps 
often  differs  from  the  card  which  should  be  led 
in  plain  suits.  The  reason  is  given  at  p.  147. 
But  it  will  be  clear  to  any  one  who  reads  be- 
tween the  lines,  that  plain  suits  should  be  led 
like  trumps,  if  all  the  remaining  trumps  are  in 
the  leader’s  or  his  partner’s  hands  ; or,  if  all  the 
trumps  are  out,  and  the  leader  or  his  partner  has 
certain  cards  of  re-entry  in  other  suits. 

As  another  example,  take  the  case  of  returned 
leads.  A leads  a small  card  ; the  second  hand 
plays  a small  card  ; B (third  hand)  puts  on  the 
eight  ; the  fourth  hand  wins  with  the  queen. 
When  B has  the  lead  he  returns  the  knave.  It 
is  evident  that  B must  have  the  ten  and  the 
nine.  Here  two  principles  appear  to  conflict. 
One  rule  is,  with  four  originally  return  the  small- 
est ; the  other  rule  is,  convey  information  to 


1 68 


WHIST. 


your  partner.  When  a player  has  thus  to  choose 
between  two  rules,  he  must  use  his  intelligence, 
in  order  to  decide  under  which  rule  his  greater 
advantage  lies.  In  the  example  given,  the  re- 
turn of  the  knave  cannot  deceive  partner  as  to 
the  number  of  cards  held  in  the  suit ; if  he  takes 
the  trouble  to  think,  he  will  at  once  perceive 
that  the  rule  as  to  returned  leads  has  been  de- 
parted from,  in  order  to  convey  information. 

The  three  following  Examples  further  illus- 
trate cases  where  playing  to  the  board  is  involved. 

CASE  I. 


Score  : Six-all  (if  the  game  is  seven  up)  ; four- 
all  (if  the  game  is  five  up).  Spades  trumps. 


WHIST. 


169 


AB  have  six  tricks.  It  is  known  from  the  fall 
of  the  cards  that  A has  no  trump  ; also  that  Z 
has  the  long  diamond.  A to  lead. 

The  Play  and  Remarks. — A leads  a small 
club.  Y puts  on  the  ace  second  hand.  In  order  to 
save  (and  win)  the  game,  Y and  his  partner  must 
win  every  trick  (see  statement  of  score  and  of  fall 
of  the  cards).  Y sees  that  to  do  this  Z must 
have  two  of  the  three  remaining  trumps.  This 
being  so,  Z can  have  but  one  club,  and  Y there- 
fore puts  on  the  ace  of  clubs  second  hand. 

For  other  illustrations  see  Hands  VIII  and  XV. 


Score  : AB  want  two  tricks  to  save  the  game. 
Hearts  trumps.  A to  lead. 


170 


WHIST. 


A knows  Y to  have  the  best  heart ; also  B to 
have  the  best  diamond  and  weak  spades. 

The  Play  and  Remarks. — A leads  the  queen 
of  spades,  and  then  the  losing  trump.  A takes 
the  only  chance  of  winning  two  tricks.  I o ac- 
complish this  Y must  hold  one  spade  and  one 
diamond,  as  will  appear  by  placing  the  unknown 
cards  in  any  other  way.  A therefore  plays  on 
the  assumption  that  Y holds  a spade  and  a dia- 
mond in  addition  to  the  trump  which  is  declared 
in  his  hand. 

For  another  illustration  of  leading  a losing 
trump  to  place  the  lead  see  Hand  XXXV. 


CASE  m. 

It  is  your  duty  to  make  the  game  as  easy  as 
possible  to  an  uninstructed  partner.  For  exam- 
ple : — You  lead  the  king  from  king,  queen,  knave, 
ten,  only.  Suppose  the  king  forces  the  ace  from 
the  second  hand.  You  obtain  the  lead  again, 
and  your  proper  lead  is  the  ten,  showing  you  still 
to  hold  queen  and  knave  ( see  Analysis  of  Leads). 
But  with  an  indifferent  partner,  your  better  sec- 
ond lead  is  the  queen.  Not  only  will  your  ten 
fail  to  convey  any  information  to  him,  but  as  he 
knows  the  ten  is  not  the  best  of  the  suit  remain- 
ing in,  if  he  has  no  more  he  may  trump  it.  A 
moment’s  reflection  should  show  him  that  as  you 
are  marked  with  the  queen,  you  would  not  be  so 
foolish  as  to  lead  the  ten  unless  you  had  the 


WHIST. 


171 


knave  also  ; but  this  amount  of  reasoning  must 
not  be  expected  from  all  partners. 

However  good  your  partner  may  be,  you  should 
not  put  him  into  unnecessary  difficulties.  For 
example  : — 


Z 


B A 


Y 


Spades  trumps.  Y can  count  two  hearts,  and 
queen,  ten  of  spades  in  A’s  hand,  and  a small 
spade  in  Z’s  hand.  A to  lead. 

The  Play  and  Remarks.— A leads  the  seven 
of  hearts.  Y should  put  on  the  king,  though 
certain  of  being  able  to  win  with  the  nine.  For, 
if  Y wins  with  the  nine,  he  compels  Z to  play  a 
coup,  viz.,  to  trump  the  best  heart,  in  order  to  have 
the  lead  through  the  queen,  ten  of  spades  ; but,  if 
Y wins  with  the  king  and  leads  the  losing  heart,  it 
requires  no  ingenuity  on  Z’s  part  to  trump  it. 


172 


WHIST. 


COUPS. 


There  is  no  Whist  principle  which  should  not 
be  occasionally  violated,  owing  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  hands  derived  from  inference  during  the 
play.  Some  of  the  more  frequent  of  the  cases, 
where  a general  rule  can  be  given  for  departing 
f rom  rule , may  advantageously  close  this  Section. 

LEADING  FROM  WEAKEST  SUIT. 

It  is  advisable  in  most  cases  where  the  game  is 
desperate,  and  where  it  is  clear  that  your  partner 
must  be  strong  in  your  weak  suit  to  save  the 
game,  to  lead  your  weakest  suit,  notwithstanding 
Principle  i (p.  76).  Your  partner  should  finesse 
deeply  in  the  suit  you  lead  him,  and  should  not 
return  it,  but,  actuated  by  motives  similar  to 
yours,  should  lead  his  weakest  suit,  in  which  you 
should  finesse  deeply,  and  continue  your  weak 
suit,  and  so  on. 

For  example  : AB  (partners)  lead  trumps.  Their 
score  is  six  ; they  win  the  first  three  tricks,  and 
three  more  trumps  remain  in  A’s  hand.  Con- 
sequently, if  AB  win  a trick  out  of  trumps,  they 
win  the  game.  Y or  Z now  has  the  lead  for  the 
first  time.  His  lead  should  be  from  his  weakest 
suit , on  this  principle  : if  his  partner  has  not  the 
command  of  it,  or  a successful  finesse  in  it,  the 


WHIST. 


173 


game  is  lost.  Say  Y leads,  and  Z wins  the  trick. 
Z should  not  return  Y’s  lead,  but  should  similarly 
lead  his  weakest  suit. 

For  an  illustration  of  this  coup  see  Hand  XXVII. 

TREATING  LONG  SUITS  LIKE  SHORT  ONES, 
AND  VICE  VERSA. 

It  often  happens  towards  the  end  of  a hand, 
that  an  unplayed  suit,  of  which  the  leader  holds 
(say)  four  cards,  can  only  go  round  twice,  e.g ., 
there  may  be  two  trumps  left  in  in  one  of  the  op- 
ponents’ hands.  In  such  a case,  if  your  suit  is 
headed  by  queen  or  knave,  you  should  treat  it  as 
a suit  of  two  cards  only,  and  lead  your  highest, 
as  this  gives  the  best  chance  of  making  two  tricks 
in  the  suit. 

In  the  reverse  case,  where  a suit  can  only  go 
round  once,  it  is  obvious  that  a small  card  should 
be  led,  so  as  not  to  tempt  partner  to  finesse. 
Thus,  holding  queen  and  one  small  card  of  an 
unplayed  suit,  which  you  are  about  to  lead,  all 
the  opponents’  cards  but  one  being  winning  cards, 
the  proper  lead  is  the  small  card. 

For  an  illustration  see  Hand  XXII. 

There  is  another  case,  known  as  Deschapelles' 
coup , where  the  proper  card  to  lead  is  not  deter- 
mined by  the  leader’s  numerical  power  in  the 
suit.  It  is  this:  all  the  adversaries’ and  partner’s 


i74 


WHIST. 


trumps  are  exhausted,  and  the  leader’s  partner 
remains  with  an  established  suit.  If  the  leader 
(not  having  any  of  his  partner’s  suit  left)  is 
obliged  to  open  a fresh  suit  headed  by  king, 
queen,  or  knave,  he  should  lead  the  highest  card, 
irrespective  of  the  number  of  cards  he  holds  in 
the  suit,  that  being  the  best  chance  of  subse- 
quently procuring  the  lead  for  his  partner  in  case 
his  only  card  of  entry  in  that  suit  should  be  an 
honour,  not  the  ace. 

For  illustration  of  this  coup  see  Hand  XXVIII. 

Deschapelles’  coup  often  succeeds  in  practice, 
but  it  may  generally  be  defeated  by  an  attentive 
player.  When  the  above-described  position  of  the 
cards  occurs,  the  adversary,  if  he  has  the  ace  of 
the  fresh  suit  led,  should  not  put  it  on  first  round. 
The  suit  will,  in  all  probability,  be  continued  with 
a low  card,  when  the  third  player  will  most  likely 
be  compelled  to  play  his  highest,  which  will  be 
taken  by  the  ace  ; and,  having  lost  the  card  of 
re-entry,  he  never  brings  in  his  suit,  unless  he 
obtains  the  lead  in  some  other  way. 

REFUSING  TO  WIN  THE  SECOND  ROUND 
OF  A SUIT. 

This  is  a case  of  by  no  means  infrequent  occur- 
rence. For  example  : — One  of  the  adversaries  has 
a long  suit  declared  in  his  favour,  which  is  led  a 
second  time.  Only  one  trump  remains  in,  which 


WHIST. 


175 


is  in  the  hand  of  the  second  or  fourth  player. 
As  a rule,  the  second  round  of  the  suit  should  not 
be  trumped.  The  third  round  will  probably  ex- 
haust the  adverse  hand,  which  is  numerically 
weak  in  the  suit.  If  it  so  happens  that  the 
player  who  is  numerically  strong  in  it  has  no 
card  of  re-entry  in  any  other  suit,  he  will  then 
never  bring  in  his  long  suit,  as  his  partner,  whose 
hand  is  exhausted,  cannot  lead  it  again,  should 
he  obtain  the  lead  after  the  third  round.  If 
there  is  a card  of  re-entry  in  the  hand  of  the 
player  who  has  numerical  strength,  he  must 
bring  in  the  suit,  whether  the  second  round  is 
trumped  or  not. 

See  Hand  XXIX  for  an  illustration  of  this 
position. 

A similar  rule  applies,  but  less  frequently,  when 
one  adversary  has  the  long  trumps,  and  his  part- 
ner a long  suit  nearly  established. 

For  an  illustration  of  this  position  see  Hand 
XXX. 

DECLINING  TO  DRAW  THE  LOSING  TRUMP. 

When  all  the  trumps  are  out  but  two,  and  the 
leader  remains  with  the  best  trump,  the  losing 
trump  being  in  the  hand  of  his  adversary,  the 
natural  and  obvious  play  is  to  draw  the  last 
trump. 


176 


WHIST. 


But  there  is  a class  of  cases  in  which  the 
trump  should  not  be  drawn  as  a matter  of 
course,  viz.,  if  one  adversary  has  a long  suit 
established,  and  his  partner  has  a card  of  that 
suit  to  lead. 

The  case  usually  happens  in  this  way  : YZ 
(partners)  lead  a suit,  and  after  two  rounds  es- 
tablish it.  They  then  lead  trumps  from  a suit 
of  four  trumps  (see  p.  15 1).  Eleven  trumps  come 
out,  and  A (YZ’s  adversary)  has  the  lead  and 
the  best  trump,  one  of  the  opponents  having  the 
losing  trump.  The  question  then  arises,  Should 
A draw  the  trump  ? 

A should  draw  the  trump  if  he  has  also  an 
established  suit  ; or,  if  B (A’s  partner)  has  an 
established  suit,  and  A can  put  the  lead  into  B’s 
hand.  For,  in  these  two  cases,  A or  B cannot 
do  better  than  bring  in  their  suit.  Again,  A 
should  draw  the  trump,  if  the  adversary  who  has 
a suit  established  (say  Z)  has  also  the  losing 
trump,  for  then,  if  either  Y or  Z has  a card  of 
re-entry  in  either  of  the  other  two  suits,  Z cannot 
be  prevented  from  bringing  in  his  established 
suit.  Lastly,  A should  draw  the  trump  if  Y (Z’s 
partner)  has  the  losing  trump,  and  Z has,  declared 
in  his  hand,  two  cards  of  re-entry.  The  last  case 
may  be  dismissed  as  of  but  little  practical  use, 
as,  at  the  time  when  A has  to  decide  whether 
he  will  draw  the  trump,  he  will  seldom  know 
enough  about  the  remaining  cards  to  be  positive 
that  Z has  two  cards  of  re-entry. 


WHIST. 


177 

In  the  above  cases,  A,  by  not  drawing  the 
trump,  makes  his  adversaries  a present  of  a trick. 

On  the  other  hand,  A should  not  draw  the 
trump  if  one  opponent  (Z)  has  an  established  suit, 
which  Y (Z’s  partner)  can  lead,  the  losing  trump 
being  in  Y’s  hand.  And,  it  is  especially  incumbent 
on  A not  to  draw  the  trump,  if  either  he  or  his 
partner  has  a suit  which  will  probably  be  estab- 
lished by  leading  it,  and  if  A can  infer  from  the 
fall  of  the  cards  that  Y has  only  one  card  of  his 
partner’s  established  suit  in  his  hand,  subject,  of 
course,  to  the  qualifications  already  noted. 

The  point  aimed  at  in  not  drawing  the  trump, 
is,  first  to  take  the  commanding  card  of  A’s  or  B’s 
long  suit  out  of  the  adverse  hand.  Y or  Z thus 
obtains  the  lead,  and  continues  the  established 
suit,  which  A trumps  with  the  winning  trump.  If, 
now,  Z has  no  card  of  re-entry  in  the  fourth — or 
unopened — suit,  he  never  brings  in  his  estab- 
lished suit,  Y not  having  another  card  of  it  to  lead. 

The  case  is  difficult  to  carry  when  stated  thus 
generally  ; for  an  illustration  see  Hand  XXXI. 

REFUSING  TO  OVERTRUMP. 

Cases  often  happen  where  it  is  not  advisable  to 
overtrump.  Most  of  these  depend  on  the  fall  of 
the  cards  and  on  inferences  from  the  play  (see 
Hands  XXIII,  XXIV),  and  cannot  be  generalised. 
But  there  is  one  case  in  which  it  is  never  right  to 
overtrump,  viz.,  when  three  cards  remain,  in  each 


12 


i78 


WHIST. 


hand,  and  one  player  holds  the  second  and  third 
best  trumps,  with  one  of  which  he  trumps  the 
card  led.  If  the  player  to  his  left  has  the  best 
and  fourth  best  trumps,  he  can  never  gain  any- 
thing by  overtrumping,  and  may  lose  a trick,  as 
the  following  example  shows  : — 


The  position  of  the  trumps  (spades)  is  known. 
A leads  a heart,  B trumps  it.  If  Z overtrumps  he 
loses  the  other  two  tricks,  but  if  he  throws  the 
ace  of  diamonds  he  wins  the  other  two  tricks. 

This  rule  for  not  overtrumping  cannot  be  laid 
down  absolutely  when  there  are  more  than  three 
cards  in  hand  ; but  when  only  four  trumps  remain 


WHIST. 


179 

in,  second  and  third  best  against  best  and  fourth, 
it  is  so  frequently  advisable  not  to  overtrump, 
that  the  player  should  consider  well  the  position 
of  the  remaining  cards  before  overtrumping. 

For  an  illustration  of  this  case  see  Hand  XXV. 

Since  it  is  so  often  right  not  to  overtrump  under 
these  circumstances,  it  follows  that  when  the  case 
arises  the  player  who  holds  second  and  third  best 
should,  as  a rule,  attempt  to  defeat  the  coup  by 
playing  a false  card — i.e .,  he  should  trump  with  the 
higher  card  in  hopes  of  deceiving  his  left-hand  op- 
ponent as  to  the  position  of  the  third  best  trump. 

THROWING  HIGH  CARDS  TO  PLACE  THE 
LE  A D > 

This  coup  presents  itself  in  a variety  of  forms. 
The  simplest  position  is  this.  All  the  trumps 
are  out,  and  you  remain  with  a small  card  of  a 
suit  of  which  the  best  is  declared  against  (say 
diamonds).  You  also  have  queen  and  a small 
spade  (ace  being  already  played),  and  you  require 
two  tricks  out  of  three  to  save  the  game.  An  ad- 
versary, who  is  marked  with  more  than  one  spade, 
leads  king  of  spades.  Your  only  chance  of  two 
tricks  is  to  throw  the  queen  of  spades  on  the  king. 

Whenever  you  are  left  at  the  end  of  a hand 
with  the  tenace  in  trumps  (either  best  and  third 
best,  or  second  best  guarded)  over  the  player  to 


i8o 


WHIST. 


your  right,  and  two  other  cards,  both  being  cards 
of  the  suit  led  by  him,  you,  second  hand,  should 
always  throw  the  highest  card  of  his  lead  to  that 
trick.  You  can  never  lose  by  so  doing,  and  may 
win.  For  example  : — You  have  nine  and  five  of 
the  suit  led.  Throw  the  nine.  For,  in  the 
second  round  of  the  suit,  it  may  so  happen  that 
you  obtain  the  lead  with  the  nine.  If  the  cards 
lie  thus,  for  instance  : — 


Y has  the  tenace  in  hearts  (trumps)  over  A.  A 
leads  ace  of  clubs.  If  Y does  not  throw  the  nine, 
and  Z plays  carelessly  and  fails  to  win  Y’s  nine  on 
the  next  round,  YZ  lose  a trick.  Of  course,  Z 
ought  to  win  the  second  round,  but  it  is  Y’s  duty 


WHIST. 


181 


to  render  it  impossible  for  Z not  to  do  so  {see 
Remarks  on  Making  it  Easy  to  Partner,  p.  170). 

The  typical  example  of  this  coup  is  the  case 
where  the  leader  plays  the  ace,  and  the  second 
player  has  king  guarded,  as  in  the  following  ex- 
ample : — 


Spades  trumps.  There  are  only  four  spades  in, 
and  Y knows  that  A has  the  king,  ten.  B’s  and 
Z’s  cards  are  immaterial. 

A leads  the  ace  of  diamonds.  If  Y plays  the 
two  of  diamonds  he  can  only  make  two  tricks  ; 
but,  if  he  throws  the  king  to  the  ace,  he  still 
makes  two  tricks,  and,  if  his  partner  has  the 
queen  of  diamonds,  he  makes  three  tricks. 

This  coup  may  be  similarly  played  in  plain 
suits.  For  an  illustration  see  Hand  XXXII. 

The  following  fine  coup  (which  occurred  in 


182 


WHIST. 


actual  play)  exemplifies  a similar,  but  more  com- 
plicated, case  : — 


Score  : YZ  require  every  trick.  Hearts  trumps. 
It  is  known  that  the  trumps  lie  between  Band  Z. 

A leads  a club  ; Y and  B play  small  clubs. 
Z,  knowing  that  B holds  the  second-best  trump 
guarded,  takes  the  only  chance  of  saving  the 
game,  by  winning  the  first  trick  in  clubs  with  the 
ace,  and  returning  the  queen.  Y,  seeing  his 
partner’s  anxiety  to  get  rid  of  the  lead,  rightly 
conjectures  him  to  hold  the  major  tenace  in 
trumps.  He,  therefore,  wins  his  partner’s  queen 
of  clubs  with  the  king,  and  saves  the  game. 


WHIST. 


183 


It  being  known  that  the  remaining  trumps 
lie  between  B and  Z,  Y would  be  right  to  win  the 
second  round  of  clubs  whatever  the  score. 

For  another  illustration  of  this  coup  see  Hand 
XXXIII. 

On  a similar  principle,  the  leader  not  infre- 
quently leads  a losing  plain  card,  or  a losing 
trump,  at  the  end  of  a hand,  in  order  to  place  the 
lead.  For  illustrations  see  Case  II,  p.  169,  and 
Hands  XVI,  XVII,  and  XXXV. 

THE  GRAND  COUP. 

The  Grand  Coup  consists  in  throwing  away  a 
superfluous  trump.  At  the  first  glance  it  appears 
impossible  to  have  a superabundance  of  trumps  ; 
but  cases  sometimes  happen  where  a player  has  a 
trump  too  many.  To  get  rid  of  this  trump — as  by 
undertrumping  a trick  already  trumped  by  your 
partner,  or  by  trumping  a trick  which  he  has  won, 
or  which  you  know  he  may  win — is  to  play  the 
grand  coup . 

The  opportunity  for  playing  the  grand  coup 
generally  happens  in  this  way.  Two  rounds  of 
trumps  come  out,  leaving  five  trumps  in,  two  in 
the  hand  of  (say)  B,  and  three  in  the  hand  of  Z 
(the  player  to  his  left).  If  B has  the  best  and 
third  best  trumps,  or  the  second  best  guarded,  and 
trumps  are  not  led  again,  nor  used  for  trumping, 
it  is  clear  that  at  the  eleventh  trick  Z must  obtain 


184 


WHIST. 


the  lead,  and  must  lead  up  to  the  tenace  in  trumps. 
If,  before  the  eleventh  trick,  Z trumps  a trick  of 
his  partner’s  (or,  in  the  case  of  only  seven  trumps 
coming  out  in  two  rounds,  undertrumps  a trick 
already  trumped  by  his  partner),  and  the  lead  at 
the  eleventh  trick  can  thus  be  kept  in — or  put 
into — Z’s  partner’s  hand,  the  grand  coup  comes 
off,  as  in  the  following  example  : — 


Clubs  trumps.  Z knows  that  B has  ten  and 
another  trump.  A leads  the  ten  of  diamonds  ; Y 
trumps  with  the  six  of  clubs  ; Z undertrumps 
with  the  five.  If  he  retains  his  three  trumps,  and 
B refuses  to  trump  the  queen  of  spades  next  led 
by  Y,  Z loses  a trick  in  clubs. 


WHIST. 


185 


The  opportunity  for  playing  the  grand  coup  is 
often  missed.  A player  should  always  be  on  the 
look-out  for  it  when  he  has  five  trumps,  especially 
if  a trump  is  led  to  his  right.  It  should  be  added 
also,  that  if  the  player  who  attempts  it  retains  a 
high  card  in  his  hand,  he  may  be  just  as  badly  off 
as  though  he  remained  with  three  trumps.  Thus, 
holding  three  trumps  against  two,  and  ace  and 
another  card  of  another  suit,  it  is  not  sufficient 
that  he  disposes  of  one  of  his  trumps  ; he  should 
also  get  rid  of  his  ace  (see  Remarks  on  Throwing 
High  Cards  to  Place  the  Lead,  pp.  179-183).  The 
following  example  will  render  this  more  clear  : — - 


1 86 


WHIST. 


Hearts  trumps.  B has  already  got  rid  of  his 
superfluous  trump.  A leads  the  eight  of  clubs. 
B should  throw  the  ace  of  diamonds  to  it.  For, 
if  B has  the  lead  after  the  next  trick,  he  might 
just  as  well  have  kept  his  third  trump.  If  A has 
the  king  of  diamonds,  B wins  a trick  by  discard- 
ing the  ace  ; and,  if  A has  not  the  king,  B loses 
nothing  by  throwing  the  ace. 

An  exception  to  this  rule  is  when  A has  win- 
ning cards  to  go  on  with.  Thus,  if  A had  another 
club,  B need  not  discard  the  ace  of  diamonds. 
This  is  too  obvious  to  require  working  out. 


The  following  is  another  aspect  under  which 
the  grand  coup  may  present  itself  : — 


WHIST. 


I87 


Hearts  trumps.  It  is  known  that  B has  king, 
queen,  knave  of  trumps,  and  a losing  spade  or 
club — but  uncertain  which. 

A leads  the  knave  of  diamonds.  B trumps  it. 

Z should  throw  away  a small  trump,  under- 
trumping B in  order  to  keep  two  winning  queens. 
If  he  discards  a queen,  he  must  do  so  at  random, 
and  perhaps  throw  away  the  suit  of  which  B has 
the  small  one.  By  discarding  his  useless  trump 
(which  B would  proceed  to  draw)  he  defers  part- 
ing with  either  queen  till  after  the  next  round, 
when  the  fall  of  the  cards  may  assist  him.  B now 
leads  a trump,  and  Y discards  the  losing  club.  B 
then  leads  another  trump,  and  Z now  knows  that 
he  ought  to  keep  the  spade.  This  case  actually 
occurred  in  the  presence  of  the  writer,  but  Z,  in- 
stead of  undertrumping,  discarded  the  wrong 
queen  at  random,  and  eventually  lost  the  game 
in  consequence. 

For  further  illustrations  of  the  Grand  Coup  see 
Hands  XXXIX  and  XL. 


If  the  foregoing  principles  are  reflectively  pe- 
rused, it  will  be  seen  that  they  mould  the  Theory  of 
Whist  into  a harmonious  whole.  The  Theory  of 
Whist  tells  you  how  to  play  your  own  hand  to  the 
greatest  advantage,  how  to  assist  your  partner, 
and  how  to  weaken  and  to  obstruct  your  oppo- 
nents ; in  short,  it  teaches  how  to  take  the  best 


j 88 


WHIST. 


chance  of  making  the  greatest  number  of  tricks. 
This  knowledge  constitutes  a sound  player.  If  to 
theoretical  perfection  you  add  the  power  of  accu- 
rate observation,  and  acute  perception,  together 
with  a thorough  comprehension  of  the  AVhist  ca- 
pacities of  partners  and  of  opponents,  you  have 
all  the  elements  necessary  to  form  a Master  of 
the  Science. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  HANDS. 


PART  II. 


HANDS. 


The  following  hands  are  given  in  illustration  of 
the  general  principles  discussed  in  Parti.  The 
plan  adopted  in  the  arrangement  of  the  hands  is 
to  imitate  closely  the  circumstances  of  actual  play. 
Thus,  at  starting,  one  player’s  hand  is  known, 
together  with  the  score  and  the  turn  - up  card. 
Each  player  is  then  caused  to  play  a card  in  his 
turn,  and  at  the  end  of  the  trick,  the  one  player 
whose  hand  is  known  makes  observations,  and 
draws  inferences  from  the  play,  as  though  he 
were  at  the  whist  table.  • 

A,  Y,  B,  and  Z,  are  the  four  players  throughout. 
They  are  placed  at  the  table  in  the  above  order,  A 
and  B being  partners  against  Y and  Z.  A is  the 
first  leader,  and  Z the  dealer.  In  “ the  play  ” the 
cards  of  each  trick  are  placed  in  the  order  in  which 
the  players  sit  round  the  table,  the  card  played 
by  the  person  whose  hand  is  under  consideration 
being  the  one  nearest  to  the  reader.  The  capital 
letter  by  each  card  shows  to  which  player  it  be- 
longs. 


192 


WHIST. 


All  the  players  are  supposed  to  follow  the  or- 
dinary rules  of  play,  as  laid  down  in  Part  I.  Thus, 
each  player  is  credited  with  leading  originally 
from  his  strongest  suit,  and  with  leading  the  card 
of  it  indicated  in  the  Analysis  of  Leads  (pp.  85- 
94)  ; with  playing  the  lowest  of  a sequence  when 
not  leading  ; with  returning  the  highest  of  a nu- 
merically weak  suit,  the  lowest  of  a strong  suit, 
and  so  on. 

It  has  been  remarked  by  critics,  that  the  players 
are  often  made  to  play  badly.  Most  of  the  hands 
are  taken  from  actual  play ; but,  independently 
of  this,  illustrations  of  indifferent  play,  with  com- 
ments, are  obviously  of  value,  as  showing  the  kind 
of  errors  that  are  likely  to  be  made,  and  how  and 
why  to  avoid  them. 

The  scores  refer  to  the  game  played  seven  up 
without  honours. 


WHIST. 


T9  3 


HAND  I. 

Trump  lead  from  four  trumps  on  establishment 
of  suit. 

A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 

Trick  2.  g 


Tricks  [yz’  i 

Remark. — A leads  from 
his  strongest  suit  ( see  p.  76). 

Having  no  sequence,  he  leads 
the  lowest  card  of  the  suit 
(see  p.  80). 

The  fall  of  the  queen  and 
ace  in  this  round,  leaves  A 
with  the  winning  diamonds  and  a small  one. 
virtually  established  (see  p.  77). 


4.  4. 


* 


4* 

+ 

* 


* * 

4- 


Tricks  0 

I ricks  ^ yZj  2 

Remark. — A plays  his 
lowest  card  second  hand 
(see  p.  106). 

B allowing  the  queen  to 
win,  may  be  presumed  not 
to  have  the  king. 


His  suit  is 


194 


WHIST. 


Trick  3. 


Tricks  f 1 
l ricks  ^ YZ,  2 

Remark. — It  is  unlucky 
that  A is  obliged  to  win  his 
partner’s  queen.  The  king 
of  hearts  is  most  probably 
in  B’s  hand,  as  it  is  not 
likely  that  B has  only  one 
heart,  and  with  queen  and 
small  ones  B would  pass. 


Trick  4. 


Tricks  [yZ,’  l 

Remark. — This  is  an  in- 
structive trump  lead.  A,  at 
the  first  start,  with  but  four 
trumps,  and  only  one  heart, 
would  not  have  been  justi- 
fied in  leading  a trump. 
But,  his  strong  suit  being 
established,  and  his  partner 
having  (probably)  the  best 
heart,  his  game  is  now  to  lead  trumps.  Consider  carefully 
the  Management  of  Trumps  (pp.  147,  I5i),and  apply  the 
arguments  there  made  use  of  to  the  present  situation. 


Trick  5. 


♦ *1  ^ 

T 


♦ ‘ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


*4* 

♦a* 

4% 


4 

4 A 4 
4 

4 4 


Tricks  {yz/  3 


Trick  6. 


Tricks  { 3 


{YZ,  3 


Remark  (Trick  5). — A finesses  the  ten  ( see  p.  119). 


WHIST. 


I95 


Remarks. — At  Trick  9,  A forces  the  best  trump,  and 
remains  with  the  thirteenth  to  bring  in  the  diamond.  If 
Z refuses  the  force,  A (Trick  10)  leads  nine  of  diamonds  and 
(Trick  11)  the  losing  trump. 

At  Trick  10,  if  A plays  ace  of  clubs  he  will  be  left  with  a 
losing  club.  By  passing,  he  gives  B a chance  of  winning 
the  trick,  and  cannot  lose  even  if  Y has  king  of  clubs.  It 
has  been  suggested  that  Z’s  best  lead,  at  Trick  10,  is  king  of 
clubs,  on  the  chance  of  catching  ace  and  knave  ; but  Z’s 
play  is  not  under  examination. 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — Whatever  B leads,  A makes  the 
remaining  tricks,  and 

AB  win  three  by  cards. 


196 


WHIST. 


THE  HANDS. 

( A’s  hand  is  given  above. ) 


Y’s  Hand. 

B’s  Hand. 

Ace,  6,  4 . . 4* 

Kg,  7 • • • ♦ 

Knv, 9. 8, 7. 4, 2 ▼ 

Kg,  Qn,  6,  5 . V 

Qn  . . . . «fr 

Knv,  9,  4 . .4. 

10,  6,  4 . . . ♦ 

Qn,  8,  7,  5 • • ♦ 

Z’s  Hand. 
Knv,  9,  8,  2 . ^ 
10, 3 . . . y 
Kg,  10,  8,  s,  2 4. 
Ace,  3 . . . ♦ 


HAND  II. 

Trump  lead  from  four  moderate  trumps. 

B’s  Hand. 


B 

Tricks  £ yf’  * 


Trick  2. 


RFfTill 


I Fill 


B 

Tricks  [ y®’  * 


WHIST. 


197 


Teick  3. 


Tricks  [ yz,’  1 


Teick  4. 


Tricks  [y®’  3 


Remark  (Trick  3). — B has  four  trumps,  and  defence  in 
hearts  and  clubs,  his  partner’s  suit  is  established,  and  no 
adverse  strength  in  trumps  has  been  exhibited.  B there- 
fore leads  trumps.  (Consider  carefully  the  arguments  at 
pp.  1 51,  152,  respecting  leads  from  four  trumps,  and  apply 
them  to  this  case.)  To  judge  when  to  lead  from  four 
moderate  trumps  is  an  important  point  in  the  game,  which 
hands  such  as  this  are  given  to  illustrate  and  explain. 


Teick  5. 


Tricks  { yz  ’ I 


Teick  6. 


4*  ,4* 

v 

* * 
* * 


* * 
* * 
* * 


B 


Tricks  3 


198 


WHIST. 


Thick  7. 

A 

Trick  8. 

A 

m 

¥ 

♦ * 

A A 

iff 

4* 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

Z 

A * A 



Y 

Z 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

Y 

A V 

♦ ♦ 

4* . 4* 
4* 

4* 

) 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

4*  4* 
4. 

4*~4* 

/ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

B 

Thicks  [yz,’  4 

B 

Tricks  | yz,’  5 

Tricks  9 to  13. — Z leads  knave  of  hearts  which  B wins. 
B draws  the  two  trumps  (if  he  remembers  down  to  the 
seven)  and  leads  ten  of  diamonds.  A brings  in  the  dia- 
monds, and 

AB  win  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 
Kg,  8 . . . * 
5,  3,  2 • • • f 

Knv,  7,  5 . «?. 

Kg,  Qn,  6,  5,  3 + 


Y’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Qn,  4,  3.  ^ 

10, 7 • • • ¥ 

Kg,  Qn,  4,3,2  + 

8,  7 • • • • ♦ 


Z’s  Hand. 

9,  6,  2 . . .4 

Ace,Q,Kv,9,8,4V 

10,  9 . . . A 

Knv,  4 . . .4 


At  Trick  I,  A leads  queen  of  diamonds,  showing  five 
in  suit  {see  Analysis  of  Leads).  B begins  to  unblock  {see 
pp.  122,  126). 

It  will  be  observed  that,  at  Trick  4,  Y does  not  lead 
queen,  although  he  has  five  in  suit.  The  reason  is  that 
this  is  not  the  original  lead  of  the  hand,  and  that  the 
adversary  has  shown  strength  in  trumps. 


WHIST. 


I99 


HAND  III. 

A simple  elementary  hand,  save  in  one  point 
which  demands  strict  attention  to  the  rule 
respecting  returned  leads  ( see  pp.  102,  104). 


A’s  Hand. 


Thick  1.  g 


Remark. — A leads  from 
his  strongest  suit.  Holding 
ace,  queen,  knave,  five  in 
suit,  he  leads  ace  and  knave 
{see  Analysis  of  Leads). 


Trick  2.  g 


Tricks  | yz,’  l 

Remark. — A continues 
his  suit  ( see  pp.  97,  98). 

As  the  cards  happen  to 
lie  A would  have  been  able 
to  make  a successful  finesse 
against  the  king  of  spades. 


But  A,  not  having  seen  Z’s  hand,  can  only  play  on  general 
principles. 


200 


WHIST. 


Thick  3. 


♦ ♦ 

❖ ♦ 
♦ 4 


V 


Tricks  [yz,’  l 


Trick  4. 


rr 


B 


♦ ♦ 
♦ 

♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 
♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 


♦ 1. 

♦ ♦! 


Thicks  [yz,’  3 


Trick  6. 


Tricks  [yz,’  3 


4-  4* 

4*  4* 


Tricks  [yz.’  3 


Remark  (Trick  6). — A has  now  the  command  of  his 
suit,  and  four  trumps.  The  adversaries  have  not  shown  any 
particular  strength  in  trumps,  either  by  leading  them  or  by 
calling  for  them,  though  they  have  had  the  opportunity  of 
doing  both,  and  A therefore  assumes  that  the  trumps  are 
pretty  evenly  divided,  and  leads  a trump  (see  p.  15 1).  A 
is  not  deterred  from  opening  the  trump  suit  because  an 
honour  was  turned  up  (see  p.  150). 

B’s  winning  the  trick  with  the  queen  shows  that  Z does 
not  hold  the  king. 


WHIST. 


201 


Trick  7. 


*A* 
* * 
4*  .4* 

4.** 


4» 

4*  4* 
4-  4- 


r% 


4- 

A 


4*  4* 
4* 

4-  * 


Tricks  4 

1 RICKS  ^ YZ)  3 


Trick  8. 


Tricks  ^yz’ 


Remark  (Trick  7). — B returns  his  partner’s  lead  of 
trumps  (see  p.  153). 


This  is  the  important  trick  of  the  hand.  Note  the  card 
returned  by  B,  the  seven.  In  the  previous  trick,  the  small 
clubs  that  fall  are  the  three,  six,  and  four,  and  in  the  pres- 
ent one,  the  seven,  five,  and  ten.  Nobody  having  played 
the  two,  A may  place  it  by  inference  in  B’s  hand,  for  the 
adversaries  not  winning  the  trick  may  be  supposed  to  play 
their  lowest  cards.  Assuming  B to  hold  the  two,  it  may 
be  inferred  that  he  has  that  card  and  no  other  left  in  the 
suit.  For  he  returns  the  seven,  a higher  card  than  the  two  ; 
and  the  rule  is  to  return  the  higher  of  two  remaining  cards, 
the  lowest  if  holding  more  than  two  ( see  pp.  102,  104. 
Consider  carefully  the  example  given  there,  and  apply  it  to 
the  present  situation). 

The  king  and  knave  are  therefore  in  the  opponents’  hands, 
and  divided.  Z has  the  knave  (which  he  turned  up),  and  he 
has  not  the  king,  as  he  could  not  win  the  queen  in  the 
previous  trick.  Y must  consequently  hold  it. 

It  may  be  objected  that  this  train  of  reasoning  is  too  close 
and  elaborate  to  serve  the  purpose  of  inexperienced  players. 
It  is,  perhaps,  a little  difficult  for  an  elementary  hand;  but 
the  careful  observance  of  the  rule  of  play  respecting  returned 


202 


WHIST. 


leads  is  so  important,  that  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to 
insist  strongly  upon  it.  Of  course,  when  playing  with  those 
who  do  not  attend  to  the  conversation  of  the  game,  all  pains 
bestowed  on  working  out  the  position  of  the  cards  from  such 
data  as  the  preceding  is  so  much  trouble  thrown  away. 

Assuming,  then,  that  A’s  partner  can  be  depended  on 
to  play  according  to  rule,  it  is  morally  certain  the  trumps 
are  evenly  divided,  and  that  a third  round  will  leave  A with 
a long  trump  to  bring  in  his  spades.  Accordingly,  A leads 
the  eight  of  clubs  [see  Trick  8,  above). 


Trick  9. 


Tricks  ioto  13. — B (Trick 
10)  leads  a small  diamond, 
though,  as  the  cards  happen 
to  lie,  his  lead  is  immaterial. 
A trumps  the  diamond,  and 
brings  in  the  spades ; and 


AB  win  three  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 


(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

B’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

9,  6,  s . . .4 

8,4.  • • • 

♦ 

Kg.  7,  3 • • ♦ 

Kg,  10,  8,  4,  2 * 

Ace,  7,  5,  3 • 

¥ 

Knv,  9.  . . ¥ 

Kg,  10,  6 . . 4. 

Qn,  7, 2 . . 

* 

Knv,  5,  4 . . «f» 

Ace,  Kg  . . 4 

Knv,  8,  5,  2 . 

♦ 

Qn,  10,  7,  6,  4 ^ 

At  Trick  7,  no  account  is  taken  of  the  soundness  of  a deep 
finesse  by  A,  the  hand  being  elementary.  Y might  save  the 
game  by  playing  a false  card  at  Trick  7 ; but  false  cards  are 
out  of  place  in  elementary  hands. 


WHIST. 


203 


HAND  IV. 

An  instructive  hand,  illustrative  of  playing  to 
the  score. 


A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Tricks^  yz’ 

Remark  (Trick  3). — A having  found  his  partner  weak  in 
spades  {see  Trick  1),  does  not  continue  his  suit  (see  p.  98). 

Thick  6. 


Trick  6. 


B 


Tricks  [ yz>  3 

Remark. — Presuming  the 
players  are  to  be  depended 
on  for  following  the  ele- 
mentary rules  of  the  game, 
it  is  clear  from  the  fall  of 
the  cards  that  Y holds  the 
remaining  heart,  the  nine. 

B drops  the  ten,  so  he  ought 
not  to  have  the  nine,  the 
rule  being  to  play  the  lowest  card  when  not  able  to  win  the 
trick.  Z ought  not  to  have  another  heart,  for  he  returned 
the  six  (see  Trick  4),  and  now  plays  the  three.  Having 
returned  the  higher  card  he  can  hold  no  more  (see  p.  102). 


Remark. — It  is  evident 
that  Z,  dropping  the  ten, 
will  trump  the  next  round 
of  diamonds.  Nevertheless, 
A’s  game  is  to  continue  the 
diamond  (Trick  7),  to  give 
Z the  lead,  and  to  make  B 
last  player. 


WHIST. 


205 


Remark  (Trick  7). — Y,  dropping  the  nine  of  diamonds, 
may  be  taken  to  have  no  more,  as,  not  being  able  to  win  the 
trick,  he  is  assumed  to  play  his  smallest.  The  remaining 
diamonds  are  therefore  with  B. 


Tricks  ^yz,’  5 

Remark. — Z,  with  ace, 
queen,  second  hand  {see.  his 
hand  below),  follows  the 
usual  rule  {see  p.  no).  It  is 
open  to  argument  whether 
Z should  depart  from  rule 
in  this  case.  But  Z’s  hand 
is  not  the  one  under  exami- 
nation. 


Trick  10.  g 


Tricks 5 

Remark. — The  fall  of  the 
queen  of  spades  from  Y 
shows  A that  the  two  re- 
maining spades  are  in  Z’s 
hand.  Z’s  third  card  is  the 
queen  of  clubs,  which  he 
turned  up. 


206 


WHIST. 


Trick  11.  g 


Trick  12.  g 


¥ ¥ 

¥T¥ 

¥_¥ 


¥ • ¥ 
¥*¥ 
¥ .¥ 
¥*¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ A ¥ 
¥*¥ 
¥ ¥ 


V 

♦ ♦ 

♦% 


Tricks [yz*  5 


Remark  (Trick  12). — A’s  lead  here  is  instructive.  He 
knows  his  partner  (B)  has  one  diamond  and  no  spade  and 
no  heart  (see  Tricks  5,  7,  and  10).  B’s  other  card  must 
therefore  be  a club  (trump).  If  it  is  the  best  trump,  A wins 
two  by  cards  by  leading  a trump.  But  if  it  is  not  the  win- 
ning trump,  a trump  lead  loses  the  odd  trick.  It  is  better  to 
make  certain  of  the  odd  trick  than  to  risk  losing  it  for  the 
chance  of  winning  two  by  cards ; for  the  odd  trick  makes 
a difference  of  two  to  the  score.  A therefore  properly 
ensures  the  odd  trick  by  forcing  his  partner  ( see  p.  164). 

Suppose  the  score  to  be  AB  five,  and  YZ  love.  Then  A 
would  be  justified  in  leading  the  trump  at  Trick  12.  For, 
if  B has  the  ten,  AB  win  two  by  cards  and  the  game  ; and, 
if  B has  not  the  ten,  AB  lose  the  odd  trick  ; the  score  re- 
maining AB  five,  YZ  one.  It  is  better  to  run  the  risk  of 
this  score  for  the  sake  of  the  game,  than  to  make  certain  of 
scoring  only  six  and  of  leaving  the  adversaries  at  love. 


AB  win  the  odd  trick. 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 
Qn,  Knv,  2 . 4* 

Qn,  9.  7,  5 V 

9,  8,  3 . . . «fr 

9,  7,  6 . . -4 


B’s  Hand. 

7 . . . . ♦ 

10,8.2.  . . ty 

Knv,  10,  7,  5 . + 
Kg,  8,  5,3,2.  4 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  10,  8,  6,  3 
Kg,  6,  3 • • V 

Ace,  Qn,  4 . ^ 

Ace,  10  . . 4 


WHIST. 


207 


In  the  following  hands  the  comments  will  be 
fewer,  it  being  assumed  that  explanations  of 
ordinary  play  are  unnecessary. 


hand  v. 

Illustrative  of  the  advantage  of  returning  the 
highest  of  a short  suit. 

A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Remark  (Trick  2). — A’s  finesse  here  is  justifiable,  because 
he  has  strength  in  trumps  (see  p.  119).  With  only  three 
trumps,  A’s  better  play  would  be  to  secure  the  trick  at  once. 


2o8 


WHIST. 


Remark. — Note  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  return  of  the 
strengthening  card  at  Trick 
2,  in  accordance  with  Gen- 
eral Principle  5 (p.  102). 
The  command  is  left  with 
the  presumably  strong  hand ; 
and  the  queen  is  completely 
hemmed  in.  It  is  true  the 
queen  might  have  been  in 
Y’s  hand.  In  that  case  the 
queen  must  make  whatever 
card  is  returned.  A similar 
position  occurs  at  Trick  9. 

Thick  5.  g 


Trick  4.  g 


Tricks  {£!,.  3 

Remark. — A did  not  lead 
the  trump  at  first;  but  now 
he  does  so  for  these  reasons  : 
he  has  the  long  card  of  his 
suit ; trumps  are  his  strong- 
est suit  (p.  147)  ; and  the 
adversaries  have  had  the 
opportunity  of  calling  for 
trumps  (see  p.  154),  and  have 
not  made  use  of  it,  which  is 
negative  evidence  that  there 
is  no  very  great  strength  of 
trumps  in  one  hand. 


Trick  6.  g 


9 * 
9 

9 9 

~~9 

9 


*9* 
9 9 

9 9 


9 9 

9 

9 9 


9 9 


9 9 


V 


A 

Tricks  \ 


A 

Tricks  | 


WHIST. 


209 


Trick  7. 


Tricks  [yf,’  4 


Trick  8. 


Tricks  i 


Remark  (Trick  7). — A being  strong  in  trumps  passes 
the  doubtful  card  (see  p.  158). 


Trick  9. 

B - 

V 

* 

Y 

♦ ♦ 

♦ 

♦ ♦ 

* * 

♦ ♦ 

Tricks  = 


Tricks  10  to  13. — B leads 
the  five  of  spades,  which 
brings  down  all  the  out- 
standing trumps.  A makes 
the  thirteenth  club  and  the 
trump ; the  adversary  makes 
the  king  of  diamonds  (see 
the  hands  below). 


AB  win  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

8,  7,  4 . . .4 

Qn,  10,  7,  3 . y 

9,  8,  6 . . . + 

Knv,  10,  9.  . 4 


B’s  Hand. 
Qn,  10,  5 . . 4 

Knv,  8,  5 . V 
Ace,  Knv,  3 . 
Ace,  Qn,  3,  2. 


Z’s  Hand. 
Kg,  Knv,  3 . 4 
Ace,  Kg,  9,  6.  ¥ 
Qn,  5,  2 . . 4» 

Kg,  7,  5 • • ♦ 


210 


WHIST. 


HAND  VI. 

Playing  to  the  score. 


Y’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Thick  1.  2 


Thick  2.  £ 


Tricks  | 


AB,  i 
YZ,  o 


Tricks  £ 


AB,  2 
YZ,  o 


WHIST. 


2X1 


Trick  3. 


B 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


Trick  4.  2 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 


A 


Tricks  £ 


AB,  2 
YZ,  i 


Thick  5.  2 


Trick  6. 


Tricks  | 


AB,  2 
YZ,  2 


z 


Tr,cks(YZ,’3 


Tricks{yZ,’  4 


Remark  (Trick  6). — The  lead  here  is  the  point  in  the 
hand.  Y has  three  tricks  up ; there  is  a whole  suit  (clubs) 
against  him,  and  his  adversary  B has  called  for  trumps  (see 
Tricks  3 and  4).  It  is,  consequently,  Y’s  duty  to  make  five 
tricks  (which  save  the  game)  as  quickly  as  possible.  He 
therefore  leads  the  ace  of  spades  to  make  the  fourth  trick, 
and  (Trick  7)  forces  his  partner  (though  without  any  strength 
of  trumps  in  his  own  hand,  see  pp.  161,  162)  to  make  the 
fifth. 


212 


WHIST. 


Isick  7. 


Tricks 


/ AB, 
\YZ, 


Tricks  {y2,’  \ 


Tricks  9 to  13. — A leads  a trump  (the  knave,  see  his 
hand  below),  in  obedience  to  the  call,  and 


AB  score  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Y’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 
Qn,  4 . . 

10,  8,  4,  3 . . V 

Kg,  9i  7>  2.  . ^ 

Knv,  5,  3 . . ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 

Kg  ....  * 

7.  6,  5 • • • V 

Ace,  8,  6,  S,  3 4» 
Ace,  Kg,  10,  7 f 


Z’s  Hand. 
Knv, 10,9,7, 3, 2 ♦ 
Knv,  9 . . . ^ 

10,4  . . . <f» 

Qn,  9,  2 . . + 


At  Trick  2,  B,  with  the  club  suit  well  nigh  established 
(assuming  his  partner  to  have  led  from  strength),  and  four 
trumps,  with  ace,  king,  should  risk  a trump  lead.  If  his 
partner  has  an  average  hand,  a trump  lead  will,  in  all  proba- 
bility, give  AB  a good  score.  As  a matter  of  fact  it  would 
win  the  game,  but  that  proves  nothing. 


WHIST. 


213 


HAND  VII. 

The  lead  of  the  fourth-best,  and  counting  the 
hands  (see  pp.  144,  145). 

Z’s  Hand. 


Tbick  1. 


THE  PLAY. 

Tbick  2. 


♦ ♦ 

♦ * 


* ♦ 

♦ 

♦ * 

r ‘ ♦ 

* * 

z 


* * 

♦ ♦ 


Tricks  ( yz  ’ i 


Remark  (Trick  2). — Z’s  better  play  would  be  to  open  the 
heart  suit. 


214 


WHIST. 


Trick  3. 


Tricks  £ y®’  ° 


Trick  4.  y 

♦ 

*4* 

♦ 4 


♦ ♦ 


4 4 

♦ ♦ 


Tricks  [ yz,’  4 


Trick  B. 


fJ»\ 


Tbick  6. 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦♦♦ 


♦ ♦ 
4*4 


4 4 
4 

4 4 


Tricks  (A®- 1 


Tricks  ^y^’ 


Trick  7. 


rr 


Trick  8. 


4 

4*  4* 

4-  4* 

4*  4* 

4* 

4^| 

4*  4* 

B 

A 

flllralSul 

4*  4» 

ju  •% 

4* 

¥ ¥ 

4.^4. 

4*  4- 

¥ ¥ 

4 4 
4 4 
4 4 


Tricks  £ yf’  3 


Tricks  £ y®* 


WHIST. 


2I5 


Trick  9. 


Tricks  { § 

Remark.  — It  is  now 
clear  that  Y led  from  five 
hearts  originally  ( see  his 
lead,  Trick  3,  and  p.  144). 
Consequently,  YZ  have  all 
the  remaining  hearts  be- 
tween them. 


Trick  10. 


♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


v 

* * 
+ * 


♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 
♦ +1 


Tricks  {$£>3 

Remark. — Z can  count 
his  partner’s  hand,  viz.,  three 
more  hearts  (see  Remark, 
Trick  9)  and  one  other  card, 
either  the  deuce  of  diamonds 
(see  the  fall  of  the  diamonds, 
Tricks  4 and  5),  or  a trump. 
If  Y has  the  diamond,  it 
matters  not  what  Z leads,  as  B must  then  hold  four  trumps. 
Z therefore  assumes  that  his  partner  has  another  trump,  and 
plays  to  force  him. 

But  if  Z could  not  tell  that  Y has  three  hearts,  or  rather 
could  tell  that  he  has  only  two,  Z’s  proper  lead  at  Trick  10 
would  be  the  ace  of  hearts.  For  then  B must  have  a heart, 
and  if  Z leads  a losing  diamond,  B discards  his  heart  on  it, 
and  saves  the  game. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 

Y’s  Hand. 

B’<$  Hand. 

Kg,  Kv,  8, 4,3, 2 4 

Ace,  5 . . . 

* 

9,  7,  6 . . . ♦ 

Knv  ...  if 

Kg,  10, 9,7,2. 

¥ 

8,3.  • • • ¥ 

Ace,  Kg  . . Jj» 

7,  6,  4,  3 . . 

* 

Qn,  Kv,  10, 5,2 

Qn,  9, 8, 7 . . + 

Ace,  10  . . 

♦ 

Kg,  4,  2 . . + 

At  Trick  6,  B should  play  to  force  his  partner  in  hearts 
instead  of  leading  trumps. 


2 l6 


WHIST. 


HAND  VIII. 

Playing  to  the  score  and  to  the  fall  of  the  cards. 
Game  won  in  spite  of  partner’s  bad  play. 


Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Tbick  1. 


a 


4 4 
4 4 
♦ 4 


♦ 4 
4 .4 
4*4 
4 4 


♦ 4 
4 4 


Tricks  [yz,’  i 


Thick  2. 


¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ 

¥ 

¥ 


4 ¥ 

R 

¥ ¥ » 
¥ ¥| 


z 

Tricks  {yI;  J 


WHIST. 


217 


Thick  3. 


Tricks  [ yz,’  2 


Trick  4. 


Tricks  [ yf  ’ * 


Trick  5. 


rr 


%¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks  {£?»  3 


lYZ, 

Remark. — Drawing  two 
for  one. 


Tricks  {$£>3 


Trick  8. 


4*  jl  4* 

4*  . 4» 

*' ** 


Tricks  3 


z 

Tricks  £ y^’  J 

Remark. — Y must  have 
knave. 


2l8 


WHIST. 


Trick  9. 


WL 


♦ 

♦ 


♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


v 


Tricks £ yz’  5 


Trick  10. 


Remark  (Trick  9). — Z manages  to  win  the  game,  in 
spite  of  his  partner,  by  putting  on  ace  second  hand  and 
leading  a club. 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — Z (Trick  11)  leads  a club;  Y makes 
two  more  tricks  in  clubs,  and 

YZ  win  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS, 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 
Q,Kv,7,6,5,3.2  4 
Ace,  Qn,  Knv  If 

6 «f> 

Kg,  Qn  . . 4 


Y’s  Hand. 

Ace . . . . 

Kg,  7,  6,  5,  2.  y 
Knv,  10, 5,  4,  3 
7.2.  . . . ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 
Kg,  8, 4 . .4 
10,9  . . .4 

Ace,  9,  7 • .4 

10,  9,  6,  4,  3 . 4 


At  Trick  3,  Y plays  badly  to  trump  the  doubtful  spade 
( see  p.  158).  At  same  trick,  B plays  well  to  get  rid  of  the 
command  of  his  partner’s  suit  (see  p.  122),  as  A,  from  the 
lead,  must  have  knave  of  spades,  and  Z,  from  the  previous 
fall  of  the  cards,  must  have  the  ten  single. 

At  Trick  4,  Y’s  continuing  the  trump  is  bad,  after  ruining 
his  numerical  strength.  For  he  has  no  particular  strength 
out  of  trumps  (see  his  hand),  and  his  partner  is  evidently 
very  weak  in  trumps. 


WHIST. 


219 


As  the  cards  happen  to  lie,  if  Z does  not  put  on  ace  of 
diamonds  second  hand  at  Trick  9,  A brings  in  the  spades, 
and  YZ  lose  the  game  instead  of  winning  it. 


HAND  IX. 

Counting  the  cards. 

A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY 


Tbick  1.  g 


Tbick  2.  g 


220 


WHIST. 


Trick  3.  g 


¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


Tricks  j y®’  \ 


Trick  4. 


♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


T\ 


♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


Tricks  {$£■  \ 


Trick  5. 


♦ 4 
♦ 

♦ ♦ 


♦ 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


Tricks  {y^’  \ 
Remark. — B’s  lead  was 
from  five  diamonds  exactly. 


Trick  6. 


B 


4*  * 4» 
4*  • 4* 
4»*4» 


4* 

+ 

4* 


-y 


TRicks  (vf;  | 


Trick  7. 


B 


4 4 

4 4 


4*  4- 
4*  4* 


Tricks 


y 

( AB,  3 
l YZ,  4 


Tricks 


/AB, 
l YZ, 


WHIST. 


221 


Remark  (Trick  8). — Well  played  by  A.  He  can  count 
B’s  hand,  viz.,  two  diamonds  and  three  hearts.  Therefore 
B must  have  had  four  hearts  originally,  and  as  it  is  not  the 
game  to  put  on  knave,  second  hand,  with  four,  holding 
less  than  three  honours  {see  Trick  3 and  Analysis  of  Play  of 
Second  Hand,  p.  109),  B must  hold  both  king  and  queen  of 
hearts. 


Tricks  9 to  13. — B leads  king,  queen  of  hearts,  to  which 
A discards  clubs.  A makes  his  three  trumps,  and 

AB  score  three  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 


(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 
B’s  Hand. 


Y’s  Hand. 
Kg,  6.  4,  3 . * 

10,  9.  6.  5 . . V 

Kg  . . . . <fr 

10,  9,  5,  4.  . + 


9,2.  . . . * 

Kg,  Qn,  Knv,  4 
Qn,  10 . . . 

Ace,  Qn,  8, 3.  2 + 


Z’s  Hand. 

10,  s . . . * 

8,  3.  2 • • • * 

Ace,Kv.8,6.5,2 
Kg,  Knv  . . ^ 


At  Trick  7,  Z does  not  lead  his  original  fourth-best,  as 
great  strength  in  trumps  is  declared  against  him. 

At  Trick  8,  Y’s  play  is  difficult.  He  might  have  noticed 
that  his  best  chance  is  for  A to  hold  only  winning  hearts  and 
a losing  club ; and  this  being  so,  Y should  not  lead  a 
diamond. 


14 


222 


WHIST. 


HAND  X. 


Counting  the  hands.  Simple  instance  of 
departure  from  rule. 


Y’s  Hand. 


WHIST. 


223 


Trick  3. 


Tricks 


/AB,  1 
\YZ,  2 


Trick  4. 


*+* 
A A 


4*  4* 

A * 

4*  4* 


V 


Tricks  { y2}’  3 


Trick  5. 


Tricks 


/AB, 

\YZ, 


Trick  7- 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 

♦ 

♦ ♦ 

¥ ¥ 

A 

B 

♦ 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

♦ 

♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 

Tricks 


rAB,  2 

lYZ,  5 


Trick  8. 


T\ 


♦ 

♦ ♦ 

Y 


Tricks  { y^1 1 


224 


WHIST. 


Tbick  9. 


B 


♦ 

♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 


Y 

Tricks  | yz’  7 


Remark  (Trick  9). — The  lead  of  ace,  followed  by  knave, 
indicates  a five-card  suit,  headed  by  ace,  queen,  knave,  and 
a desire  that  partner,  if  he  holds  the  king,  should  put  it  on 
second  round  (see  p.  143).  But  in  this  case  Y can  count  the 
hands,  and  therefore  departs  from  rule,  and  does  not  put  on 
the  king.  Z has  a trump,  and  three  diamonds,  the  ten 
guarded  being  in  B’s  hand.  If  Y follows  rule  and  puts  on 
king  of  diamonds,  he  loses  a trick  in  diamonds ; by  passing 
the  knave,  he  ensures  five  by  cards. 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — Whatever  Y leads,  Z makes  the  re- 
maining tricks,  and 

YZ  win  five  by  cards. 


A’s  Hand. 
Kg,  2 . . . * 

Knv,  9,  7.  4,  2 ▼ 
Kg, Knv, 10, 5, 2 ^ 


THE  HANDS. 

(Y’s  hand  is  given  above.) 

B’s  Hand. 

Qii,  8,  3 . . * 

Kg.  10,  8 . . ¥ 

8,  7.  4 . . . 

10,  8,  7,  3 . . ♦ 


Z’s  Hand. 
Knv,  10,  6.  5 . 4* 
Ace.  . . If 

Qn,  9,  6 . . 


Ace,Qn,Kv,6,2  i 


At  Trick  2,  Z’s  trump  lead  is  rather  forward,  but  justi- 
fiable with  his  hand  at  the  score,  especially  as  Y must  hold 
the  ace  of  clubs. 


WHIST. 


225 


HAND  XI. 


Discarding,  and  playing  to  the  score. 
Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


226 


WHIST. 


Tbick  3. 


a- 


♦ ♦ 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦♦♦ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ V 


¥ ¥ 


Tricks  £ yz/  i 


Trick  4.  y 


Trick  5. 


Tricks  £ y®  * 3 


Tricks  [ y * 


Trick  7. 


Trick  8. 


♦♦♦ 
¥ ♦ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ♦ 
¥ ¥ 
Z 


¥ 

T 

* * 

4.  4. 


V 
♦ * 

♦ % 


*T\ 


v 
¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks  (y^’ 


Tricks  £ y \ 


WHIST. 


227 


Tricks  9 to  13. — Y (Trick  9)  leads  a spade.  He  is 
directed  to  the  spade  suit  by  Z’s  original  discard  of  a club 
at  Trick  6 (see  p.  131),  notwithstanding  that  Z has  since 
discarded  two  spades.  Z plays  properly  to  keep  his  queen 
of  clubs  guarded  after  his  first  discard,  as  he  only  wants 
at  most  two  tricks  besides  the  two  trumps  which  he  knows 
to  be  in  Y’s  hand.  Y,  at  Trick  8,  leads  a heart  to  show  he 
has  all  the  other  hearts,  as  it  is  possible  that  the  best  heart 
may  be  held  up  by  the  adversary.  Y thus  tells  Z not  to 
finesse  if  he  has  one  trick  certain  ( see  score). 

Z puts  on  the  ace  of  spades,  at  Trick  9,  as  that  card  and 
the  two  trumps  in  Y’s  hand  make  the  game.  If  Z finesses 
he  only  scores  four,  as  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  hands 
below.  Z’s  play  would  not  be  right  if  he  had  only  five  tricks 
up,  as  he  would  then  want  one  more  trick  to  win  the  game. 
In  that  case  he  should  finesse.  This  is  a good  illustration 
of  playing  to  the  score. 

YZ  score  three  by  cards. 


>.) 

B’s  Hand. 
Knv,  10,  4,  2 . 4* 
10,7,4  . . V 

Ace,  10,  7,  3 . 
Knv,  2 . . . $ 


At  Trick  3,  A is  justified  in  risking  a force  on  his  partner, 
though  weak  in  trumps  himself.  Strength  in  trumps  has 
been'  adversely  declared  by  the  call  (see  pp.  161,  162),  and 
there  is  nothing  to  show  that  B has  not  the  queen  of 
diamonds. 

At  Trick  4,  it  is  doubtful  whether  A should  cover  the 
strengthening  card  led  (see  pp.  112,  113). 


THE  HANDS. 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  abo\ 


A’s  Hand. 
Kg,  9.  8»  3 • 4 

Kg,  2 . . . f 

Kg,  9,  5 • • + 
Ace,  Kg,  10,  4 + 


Y’s  Hand. 

5 • • • • ♦ 

Ace, Knv, 8. 5, 3 
Knv,  6 . . . 

Qn,  9,  8,  6,  5 . 4 


228 


WHIST. 


HAND  XII. 

Discarding. 
Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Teick  1. 


Y 

♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 

_____ 

♦ 

Z 


Tricks  | 


AB,  i 
YZ,  o 


Thick  2. 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦♦♦ 


♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


Tricks  £ 


AB 

YZ 


WHIST. 


229 


Trick  3. 


rf-i 


♦ ♦ 
♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 


♦♦♦ 


*** 

* + 

4*  * 


Tricks  < 3 

1 ricks  ^ YZ,  o 


Trick  4, 


Tricks  £ yz,’  < 


Remark  (Trick  3). — The  knave  of  diamonds,  and  there- 
fore the  command  of  trumps,  is  marked  in  Y’s  hand. 


Trick  6. 


Cr 


4 4 


4 T 4 
4 4 


4 4 

4 4 

4 4 

4 

B 

A 

4 

fwMiiyo 

4.4 

4 4 

4 

Tricks  {y|;  \ 


Trick  6. 


Tricks  ^yz’  1 


Trick  ?. 


Tricks  ® 


230 


WHIST. 


Remark  (Trick  7). — Z properly  concludes,  as  his  partner 
has  command  of  trumps  ( see  Remark,  Trick  3),  that  his 
discard  (Trick  6)  was  from  his  weakest  suit,  notwithstanding 
the  adverse  trump  lead,  and  therefore  Z leads  clubs.  If  Z 
mistakes  the  character  of  his  partner’s  discard,  and  leads  a 
heart,  he  loses  two  by  cards  (see  pp.  132,  133,  and  apply  the 
rules  of  play  there  stated  to  the  present  situation). 


Tricks  9 to  13. — Y brings  in  the  clubs  ( see  his  hand 
below),  and 

YZ  win  the  odd  trick. 


THE  HANDS* 


(Z’s  hand  is  given  above. ) 


A’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Kg,  10,  2 
Ace,  9,  7 . . y 

King,  3 . . . *f» 

Ace,  Kg,  Qn,  5 ♦ 


Y’s  Hand.  ♦ 

6,  4 . . . . $ 

4,  2 . . . . y 

Ace, Kv.  10,4,2 
Knv,  9,  8,  6 . ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 


Knv,  8,  5,  3 
Qn,  Knv.  8,  3 

9 , 8,  7 . . 

7?  3 • • • 


At  Trick  7,  A is  right  to  cover  the  queen  of  clubs  (see 
pp.  112,  113). 


WHIST. 


231 


HAND  XIII. 

Getting  rid  of  the  command  of  partner’s  suit 
(see  p.  123). 

Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


232 


WHIST. 


Thick  3 


¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Y 

¥ ¥ 

Thick  4. 

Y - 

\ 

¥^¥ 
¥ ¥ 

¥ 

♦ ♦ 

♦ 

♦ 

¥ 

B 

A 

♦ 

¥ ¥ 

▲ ▲ 

♦♦♦ 

¥ ¥ 

▼ ▼ 

♦% 

¥ ¥ 

Tricks 


AB,  2 
YZ,  i 


Tricks  £ yz’ 
Remark. — See  p.  123. 


Thick  5. 


Tricks  f yz,’  l 


Thick  6. 


4*j»  4* 

4*  .4* 

4-** 


¥/ 

¥ ¥ 

¥T¥ 


*** 
4-  + 

+*4- 


4*  .4* 
4* 

4-  4- 

4.  4. 


Tricks  ] 


YZ, 


Trick  l 


¥ ¥ 
¥ . ¥ 
**¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ♦ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
♦ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks  [y^5  * 


Tricks  [y|»  | 


WHIST. 


233 


Tricks  | yz,’  4 


Tricks 


CAB,  5 

*Y Z,  5 


Tricks  11  to  13. — Z (Trick  11)  leads  deuce  of  diamonds. 
Y makes  two  tricks  in  diamonds  (note  the  advantage  to 
YZ  of  Z’s  having  got  rid  of  the  command). 

YZ  win  the  odd  trick. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 
Knv.  9 . . .4^ 

Qn,  8 . . V 

Q,Kv,io,6,5,4.2  + 

7, 4 • . . . ♦ 


Y’s  Hand. 

8,  7.  6 . . ■ ♦ 

Knv,  10,  9,  4.  V 
Kg  . . . . 4. 

Ace,Qn,Kv,6,s  + 


B’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Qn,  4,  3,2  4 
Kg,  7,  3.  2.  . 4 

Ace,  7 ...  4 

Kg,  3 • • • ♦ 


At  Trick  2,  Z plays  the  turn-up  card  (see  p.  142). 

At  Trick  3,  B passes  the  nine  of  trumps.  If  the  tenace  is 
against  him  covering  does  no  good  ; and  there  is  a chance 
that  the  ace  may  fall. 

At  Trick  6,  B,  having  found  A weak  in  trumps,  and  the 
whole  diamond  suit  being  declared  against  him,  alters  his 
tactics,  and  does  not  continue  trumps. 

At  Trick  7,  Y plays  properly  in  attempting  to  force  the 
strong  trump  hand,  keeping  knave  of  hearts  with  which  to 
trump  clubs.  If  B refuses  the  first  force  he  wins  two  or  three 
by  cards,  as  the  cards  happen  to  lie.  But  he  cannot  place 
the  diamonds,  and  probably  his  best  play  is  to  trump. 


234 


WHIST. 


HAND  XIV. 

Finessing. 

A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


WHIST. 


235 


Thick  3. 


Tricks  (yz,’  \ 


Thicks  (yz,’  2 


Thick  6. 


Thick  G. 


Tricks  (yf;  * 


Tricks  {y|-  | 


Thick  7.  g 


Thick  8. 


4- 

/" 

V 

4*  4* 

iny 

* 4* 

4*  4* 

2 

Y 

¥ V 

♦ 4 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

* • ♦ 


Tricks  [A|,  3 


Tricks^  y®’  * 


236 


WHIST. 


Tricks  [yz,’  5 


Remark  (Trick  9). — A’s 
finesse  is  unlucky.  He  has 
no  indication  as  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  queen.  The  fi- 
nesse must  not  be  judged  by 
the  result . It  is  generally 
right  against  one  card  if  the 
success  of  the  finesse  wins 
the  game. 


Tricks  10  to  13. — YZ  make  two  tricks  in  diamonds 
(see  their  hands  below) ; and 

YZ  win  the  odd  trick. 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

B’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

Kg.  Qn,Knv,  4 4^ 

Ace,  9 . . . 

10,  8,  5,  3 . . 

Qn,  5 . . . J 

Ace,  10.  . . m 

8,  3,  2 . . . M 

Ace,  4,  2 . . 

9,8, 7.6, 5, 3 . 4 

Kg.  Qn,  10  . + 

Kg,  Knv,  8,  s ^ 

Qn,  9,  3 . . 4 

Ace,  4,  2 . . ^ 

At  Trick  6,  Y’s  lead  is  not  well  judged.  He  knows  his 
partner  to  hold  king  of  clubs  single,  and  his  object  should 
be  to  prevent  the  two  trumps  from  being  drawn  together. 
Y’s  best  lead  appears  to  be  queen  of  hearts;  and  if  it 
wins,  a diamond. 


WHIST. 


237 


HAND  XV. 

Counting  the  hands,  and  refusing  a finesse, 

Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY- 


Remark  (Trick  1). — A has  not  both  king  and  queen  of 
diamonds,  or  he  would  have  led  one.  B has  not  either 
king  or  queen  of  diamonds,  or  he  would  have  played  one 
of  them  instead  of  the  ace.  Therefore,  Y must  have  one 
of  those  cards.  Z draws  this  inference  at  the  time . It  will 
not  be  of  any  use  to  him  until  near  the  end  of  the  hand. 


238 


WHIST. 


Teick  3. 


4*  4* 


Tricks 


CAB,  2 
(.YZ,  1 


Remark. — B has  led  from 
exactly  five  clubs. 


Teick  4. 


4*  4- 

4* 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ 

4*  4* 

B 

A 

¥ 

**+ 

4*  4* 

4- 

¥ ¥ 

[¥|| “ 

¥ 

Tricks  £ y ® * 


Remark. — The  ace  would 
be  an  echo  p.  156). 


Teick  5. 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 


Tricks  [yf  * * 


Teick  6. 


Remark  (Trick  6). — The  policy  of  this  lead  is  doubtful. 
Players  are  apt  to  show  their  suits  in  this  manner.  But  it 
is  clear,  the  opponents  having  led  diamonds  and  clubs, 
that  if  Z has  strength  in  any  suit  it  is  in  spades.  The 
objections  to  showing  a suit  in  this  way  are  : I,  that  it 
may  be  trumped  the  first  round ; 2,  that  partner  may 
have  only  one  card  of  it.  In  the  latter  case  he  cannot 
return  the  lead,  and  must  open  or  continue  another  suit 
to  a disadvantage. 


WHIST. 


239 


Remark  (Trick  9). — Z’s  play  in  not  finessing  is  very  good, 
lie  can  count  Y’s  hand,  thus:  Y has  no  more  clubs  (see 
Remark,  Trick  3),  he  has  the  last  trump,  and  three  other 
cards.  These  cards  must  either  be  queen,  ten  of  spades, 
and  a diamond,  in  which  case  Z’s  play  does  not  matter ; or 
the  nine  returned  by  Y must  be  his  best  spade,  in  which 
case  he  can  only  have  one  more,  as  he  would  return  the 
higher  of  two  remaining  cards  (see  p.  103),  and  his  other 
cards  must  then  be  two  diamonds.  Therefore,  assuming 
the  case  in  which  Z’s  play  does  matter  (z.e.f  of  Y’s  nine 
being  his  best  spade),  Y’s  diamond  must  be  guarded. 

Q 2 


240 


WHIST. 


Consequently,  Z,  by  not  finessing,  makes  sure  of  the 
game.  He  requires  one  more  trick  besides  the  ace  of 
spades  and  his  partner’s  trump,  and  this  trick  Y is  certain 
to  make  in  diamonds  if  Z leads  through  A’s  hand  (see 
Remark,  Trick  i). 


Tricks  io  to  13. — Z (Trick  10)  leads  a diamond,  and, 
however  A plays, 

YZ  score  three  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 
A’s  Hand.  Y’s  Hand. 


B’s  Hand. 


Qn,8,3.  • • 4 
Knv,  7,4.  .4 
9,  8,  5 . . .4 
Kg,  Knv,  7,  5.  + 


9,5-  • • • 4 

Qn,  10,  6,  5 . f 
Kg,  Qn,  7.  . + 

Qn,  10,  9,  6 . ♦ 


10,  7, 6,  4 . .4 

9,8,3.  . . ¥ 

Ace, Kv, 10,3,2  A 
Ace . . . . ♦ 


As  the  cards  happen  to  lie,  YZ  only  score  six  if  Z finesses 
at  Trick  9,  and  A plays  properly.  A,  on  winning  this  trick 
with  the  queen  of  spades,  should  see  that  his  only  chance  of 
making  two  more  tricks  is  to  be  led  up  to  in  diamonds.  He 
should  therefore  (Trick  10)  lead  the  seven  of  diamonds, 
which  Y is  compelled  to  take,  and  AB  save  the  game. 


WHIST. 


24I 


HAND  XVI. 


Leading  losing  card  to  place  the  lead 
(see  p.  183). 


B’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Tbicx  1. 


z 


♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


rv 


♦ ♦ 
♦ 

♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 

♦♦♦ 


B 

Tricks  £ 


AB,  1 
YZ,  o 


242 


WHIST. 


Thicks  {yZ,’  o 

Remark. — Y has  the  king 


of  spades. 


Tricks  f ^B,  4 
1ricks|YZj  q 

Remark. — It  is  probable 
that  A is  weak  in  trumps,  as 
he  refused  to  force  his  partner  in  diamonds.  Nevertheless, 
B leads  a trump,  as  he  is  well  provided  in  spades,  and  has 
club  suit,  and  his  partner  has  shown  five  diamonds. 


Tricks  f 5 
1 RICKS  [Y2j  0 


Trick  6. 


¥ * 
V V 


V: 


* * 

* ♦ 


Tricks  ( y®  ’ ® 


Remark  (Trick  6). — The  queen  of  hearts  must  be  in 
Z’s  hand,  as  A returned  the  four  and  now  plays  the  two, 
and  Y renounces.  It  may  be  a question  whether  the  third 
round  of  trumps  is  advisable. 


WHIST. 


243 


Tbick  7.  /\ 


Trick  8. 


Tricks  [y 2,’  * 


Tbick  10. 


♦ ♦ 
* ♦ 
* ♦ 


4*  4* 

•f 

4-  4* 
4» 

4*  4» 


4*  4* 
4»  . 4- 
*** 
4»  4* 


B 


Thicks  {yz,’  3 


Remark  (Trick  10). — B leads  the  losing  club  to  throw 
the  lead  into  Y’s  hand.  Y will  then  be  obliged  to  lead  a 
spade,  as  he  has  no  other  suit.  Z will  have  to  follow  suit, 
or  will  be  forced  with  the  queen  of  trumps,  and  B will 
make  the  ace  of  spades  and  the  last  trump. 


Tricks  11  to  13. — Y (Trick  11)  leads  a spade,  B puts  on 
the  queen,  and 


AB  score  three  by  cards. 


244 


WHIST. 


A’s  Hand. 
to,  9,  7 . . . 

Ivnv,  4,  2 . 

Kg,  5 . . . J 


$ 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above.) 
Y’s  Hand. 

Kg,  8,  5,  4,  3.  ^ 

8,  5 • • • • ¥ 

Ace,  Qn,  9,  4 . + 

Qn,  8 . . . ♦ 


Ace,  Kg.  6, 3, 2 

At  Trick  8,  Y should  underplay  in  clubs. 


Z’s  Hand. 
6,2.  . . .4 

Qn,  10.  7,  6 . V 
10,7,3.  • • 

10,  9,  7,  4.  . ♦ 


HAND  XVII. 

Leading  losing  card  to  place  the  lead  {see  p.  183). 

Y’s  Hand. 


WHIST. 


245 


Trick  3. 


4*  A4* 
4*  1 4' 
4*  . 4* 
4-*4- 


4.  4. 
4.  +] 


4*  4* 
4*  .4* 
4**4« 
4-  4* 


4* , 4* 

4* 

4*  4* 
4-  4- 


Tricks  ^yz’  2 


Trick  4. 


Tricks 


AB,  1 
WZ,  3 


Trick  5. 


Trick  6. 


Tricks  (AB>  * 


Tricks  [yz,’  5 


Trick  7. 

♦ ♦ 


T\ 


♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦♦♦ 


Tricks^AB’  1 
I RICKS  ^ YZj  6 


Tricks  {yI;  ) 


246 


WHIST. 


Trick  9. 


Teick  10. 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


[¥¥ 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ 1 * 
4*4 


4 4 
4% 


Tricks  ^yz,’  8 


i RICK  11.  2 


Remark  (Trick  11). — Y 
leads  the  losing  spade  to  put 
the  lead  into  A’s  hand  ( see 
fall  of  the  spades,  Tricks  1, 
4,  and  10),  and  so  compel  A 
to  lead  hearts  up  to  Z.  At 
this  score  (YZ,  three)  this  is 
the  best  chance  of  four  by 
cards.  If  the  score  were  YZ, 
two,  Y should  lead  a heart, 
as  leading  the  spade  gives  up 
all  chance  of  five  by  cards. 


Tricks  12  and  13. — Z has  ace,  queen  of  hearts  ; and 
YZ  win  four  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

( Y’s  hand  is  given  above. ) 


A’s  Hand. 

Kg,  9,  8.  7.  • * 

Kg,  2 . . . f 

Qn,  Knv,  8,  7 . 4* 
9, 8,  s . . .4 


B’s  Hand. 

6,  4,  3 . . .A 

Knv,  9,  7,  6 . y 

10,  6, 3.  . . 4* 

10,  4,  3.  . . + 


Z’s  Hand. 
Knv,  2 . . . 

Ace,  Qn,  8, 5,4 
Ace,  Kg,  4.  . + 

Ace,  Kg,  7.  . 4 


At  Trick  4,  B,  having  a weak  hand,  plays  his  partner’s 
game,  in  preference  to  planning  an  attack  for  himself  by 
opening  his  own  poor  suit  of  four  to  the  knave. 


WHIST. 


247 


HAND  XVIII. 


Underplay. 


Z’s  Hand. 


248 


WHIST. 


Trick  3. 


* * 


4*  4* 


T\ 


4-4- 

T 

4*  4* 
4*  4* 


Tricks  [yz,’  3 


TRicKs  {yz,’  4 


Remark  .(Trick  4). — Y has  led  from  ace,  queen,  knave, 
etc.;  and  B,  the  weak  trump  hand,  has  no  more  clubs. 


Remark  (Trick  5). — Z underplays  in  trumps.  To  con- 
tinue hearts,  with  queen,  king  marked  against  him  (see 
Trick  2),  or  to  open  diamonds,  would  be  very  disadvan- 
tageous, so  a trump  lead  is  forced,  more  especially  as  Y has 
winning  clubs,  and  B is  about  to  trump  that  suit.  The 
lead  of  ace  or  king  of  trumps  would  leave  the  lead  with 
Z,  who  would  then  still  be  in  a difficulty  as  to  his  next 
lead.  Further,  it  is  of  importance  to  endeavour  to  place 
the  lead  in  Y’s  hand,  that  he  may  continue  clubs.  Also,  if 
the  underplay  succeeds,  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  YZ 
will  win  the  game  if  Y has  nine  of  clubs. 


WHIST. 


249 


z 


Tricks | yz,’  7 


Tricks  8 to  13. — The 
game  is  now  certain,  as  Z 
must  make  ace,  king  of 
trumps. 


YZ  win  the  game. 


THI  HANDS. 


(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 


Qn,  7,  5>  3’  2 
Kg,  6 . . 

8,  5>  4>  2 • 
Ace,  Qn  . 


♦ 


♦ 


Y’s  Hand. 
Knv,  8 . . . 4* 

Ace,  2 . . . y 

Ace,Q,Kv,9,3 
IO,  5.  4;  3 • • ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 

9,  4 • • . . ♦ 

Qn,9,8, 7.  . V 

10, 6 . . . 4* 

Knv,  9,  8,  7,  2 4 


At  Trick  2,  Z does  not  show  precise  number  in  hearts,  after 
trumps  have  been  declared  adversely. 

At  Trick  5,  if  A puts  on  queen  of  spades,  second  hand,  he 
saves  the  game.  May  be,  a very  shrewd  player  would  have 
seen  through  the  position,  including  the  importance  of  pre- 
venting Y from  having  the  lead  if  possible  ; but  A can  hardly 
be  blamed  for  passing,  as  it  is  unlikely  that  both  ace  and 
king  of  spades  are  in  Z’s  hand. 


WHIST. 


250 


HANO  XIX. 

Underplay,  and  playing  to  the  score. 
Y’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Thick  1.  2 

f*ST 


* * 

+ •5*4. 


4* 

4* 

4» 

Y 


* * 
4*  4* 
4*  4* 


Tricks{yI;  i 


Trick  2. 


♦ 

♦ 

♦ 


WHIST. 


251 


Teick  3. 


Thicks  (yz,’  2 


Trick  4. 


4*  4- 


¥" 

* 

Jj|f 

i?jsr 

* 

4-  4* 

4*  4* 

* 

¥ 

A 

B 

4* 

♦ 

♦ 

♦ 

4* 

4»  4- 

V 


Tricks  * 


Remark  (Trick  3). — Y is  justified  in  playing  a forward 
game.  He  has  four  trumps  (see  p.  151),  ace  of  the 
opponent’s  suit,  and  a fine  heart  suit ; and  his  partner  has 
declared  strength  in  diamonds  by  choosing  that  suit  for  his 
original  lead. 


Teick  5. 


* ** 
* * 

* 


Thicks  | yz,’  3 


Teick  6. 


♦ 

~~¥~~ 

¥ 

4 

¥ * 

¥ 

■ 

IS 

A 

B 

❖ A * 

» V 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥T  ¥ 


V 


Tricks^  yz’ 


Remark  (Trick  6). — Y is  justified  in  playing  a false  card 
here,  notwithstanding  General  Principle  12  (p.  135).  The 
heart  is  a forced  lead,  and  the  card  led  (the  ten)  is  ob- 
viously A’s  best.  Y’s  scheme  is  to  take  another  round 
of  trumps,  and  then  to  underplay  in  hearts  ( see  p.  128)  ; so 
he  puts  on  the  ace  to  deceive  B as  to  the  position  of  the 
king. 


252 


WHIST. 


Tkick  7. 


Trick  8. 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


Z 

¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥T¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks  £ y^’ 


Tricks  g to  13. — Z leads  the  king  of  clubs,  to  which  Y 
discards  the  two  of  diamonds.  Z then  leads  the  knave  of 
hearts,  on  which  Y puts  the  king ; the  queen  falls  (see  the 
hands  below) ; Y brings  in  the  hearts  ; and 

YZ  win  five  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Y’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Kg,  5 . 

10,  2 . . . 

Knv,  8,  7,  6,  5 
Ace,  8,  6 . 


B’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

9,  8,  6 . . . 

♦ 

Qn,  4,  2 . . 

♦ 

Qn,  7, 4 . . 

¥ 

Knv,  9,  3 . . 

¥ 

10, 9, 2 . . . 

* 

Kg,  Qn,4.  . 

10,  9.  7,  3 • • 

♦ 

Qn,  Knv,  5,  4 . 

♦ 

^ay  the  hand  badly. 

At  Trick  6,  A, 

in 

the  face  of  an  adverse  trump  lead  and  the  command  of  his 
suit  (clubs)  against  him,  should  lead  the  ace  of  diamonds 
to  make  the  third  trick  and  save  the  game.  At  Trick  8,  B 
should  put  on  his  c^ueen  of  hearts.  He  is  fairly  taken  in 
by  Y’s  dark  play  at  Trick  6 ; but  he  ought  not  to  have 
allowed  himself  to  be  so.  He  should  have  argued  that  Y, 
who  has  been  playing  a very  strong  game,  would  not  be  likely 
to  put  on  ace  second  hand  merely  for  the  purpose  of  having 


WHIST. 


253 


the  lead  or  of  making  sure  of  a trick.  Further,  if  A’s  lead 
was  a forced  one,  from  weakness  (hearts  being  the  only  suit 
in  which  B can  be  strong),  Z is  sure  to  finesse  if  he  has 
king,  knave,  or  even  king,  nine.  So  B’s  best  chance  of 
making  the  queen  is  to  put  it  on  ( see  p.  129). 


HAND  XX. 

Defensive  trump  lead,  and  playing  to  the  score. 

A’s  Hand. 


Remark  (Trick  1). — A defensive  trump  lead,  to  avoid 
opening  a three-card  suit. 


254 


WHIST. 


Tricks  [AB-  3 


Remark. — The  lead  ad- 
vised in  the  Analysis  of 
Leads  is  the  ace,  with  more 
than  four  in  suit ; but  in 
this  case,  it  is  so  important 
to  B to  have  the  diamond 
returned,  that  he  is  justified 
in  departing  from  rule. 


Trick  \ , 


Tricks 


:ab,  3 
L YZ,  i 


Remark. — A’s  finesse  is 
unlucky.  He  is,  however, 
clearly  justified  in  not  part- 
ing with  the  command  of 
trumps,  as,  even  if  the 
finesse  does  not  succeed,  he 
remains  with  the  last  trump, 
will  be  led  up  to  in  one  of 
his  guarded  suits,  and  will, 
in  all  probability,  bring  in 
his  partner’s  diamonds. 


Trick  6. 


Trick  6. 


B 


6 


¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 


¥ 

¥ 

¥ 


¥ ¥ 

f ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


y 


Tricks{y!;  l 


Tricks  {y?’  3 


’ YZ,  3 


WHIST. 


255 


Thick  7. 


B 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


A 

Tricks  {^|;  3 


Trick  8. 


♦ ¥ 
¥ * 
¥ ¥ 


Z 


A 

TRicks  {yZ,’  4 


Tricks  9 to  13. — A leads  the  queen  of  diamonds,  and 
finds  his  partner  with  the  entire  command  of  diamonds 
(see  B’s  hand  below). 

AB  score  three  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

8,  7,  4,  3,  2 .4 
Kg,  10,  9,  4 • V 
Knv,  7,  6 . . 4 

8 ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 

10  . . . . 4* 

7,  6,  3 • • • ? 

Ace,  Kg,  2 . 4 

A, Kg, Kv, 4, 3, 2 4 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Qn,  9,  6.  4 
Ace,  Knv,  5 . 4 

9,  8,  4 . . .4 

10,9,6.  . . 4 


It  may  be  observed  that  Z loses  the  game  by  bad  play  at 
Trick  7.  The  fall  of  the  cards  in  Tricks  5 and  6 shows 
that  A has  the  queen  of  hearts,  and  Y the  king.  Z should 
therefore,  at  Trick  7,  lead  the  ace  of  spades  to  make  the 
fourth  trick,  and  then  the  heart,  making  the  fifth  trick  and 
saving  the  game. 

At  Trick  8,  if  Y leads  a spade  and  Z does  not  finesse,  the 
game  may  be  saved.  To  finesse  at  that  point  would  be 
very  bad  play,  as  the  ace  of  spades  makes  the  fifth  trick. 
But  Y’s  play  at  Trick  8,  though  unfortunate,  is  not  wrong; 


256 


WHIST. 


for  Y cannot  tell  that  Z has  the  ace  of  spades ; indeed,  the 
presumption  is  that  he  has  not,  or  he  would  have  led  it. 
Y properly  plays  to  force  the  long  trump,  and  to  make 
his  partner  fourth  player. 


HAND  XXI. 

An  ill-judged  call  for  trumps,  and  a well-judged 
third  round,  notwithstanding  the  adverse  strength. 

B’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


B 

Tricks  £ yf,’  1 


Thick  2. 


A 


♦ 


♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


B 

Tricks  [yz’  i 


WHIST. 


257 


Tricks  [^fj  \ 

Remark. — Z has  called 
for  trumps. 


Trick  4. 


Thicks  [yz,’  3 


Trick  5. 


Trick  6. 


Tricks  [yz,’  3 


Thicks  [yz,’  4 


Remark.— It  is  seldom 
right  to  continue  trumps 
when  led  by  the  opponents; 
but  this  is  an  exceptional 
case.  B plays  well  in  draw- 
ing two  trumps  for  one,  as  it  is  evident  that  if  Y and 
Z make  their  trumps  separately  they  must  win  the  odd 
trick. 


Remark. — The  fall  of  the 
spades  [see  Tricks  3,  4,  and 
5)  shows  that  the  three  is 
in  Y’s  hand. 


WHIST. 


258 


Thick  7. 


£ 


♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 


%♦ 

♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


♦♦♦ 

♦♦♦ 

♦ %1 


♦ ♦ 
♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 


Tricks  3 


Thick  8. 


Thick  9. 


4» 

*** 
*** 
4.  * 


rv 


Trick  10. 


♦7^  V 


%¥ 

V 

fjp 

B 


W * 
¥ 

¥ »1 


Tricks  5 


Tricks  | yz’  5 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — Whatever  Z leads,  B makes  ace, 
queen  of  hearts  ; and 


AB  win  the  odd  trick. 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 

6 . . . . * 

9,  6,  2 . . . ^ 

Kg  Q.Kv,9,8,7 
Ace,  8,  7 . . 4 


Y’s  Hand. 
Ace,  7,  3,  2 .4 

7>  5>  4 • • . V 

Ace . . 4* 

Knv,  9,  5.  3,  2 4 


Z’s  Hand. 
Qn,Knv.  10,9,8  4 
Kg,  Knv,  3 . ^ 

10,  6,  4.  . -4* 

Kg,  4 • • • + 


WHIST. 


259 


Z’s  completion  of  the  call,  at  Trick  3,  is  ill-judged,  es- 
pecially at  six-all,  with  a whole  suit  declared  against. 
He  should  withdraw  the  call,  and  play  ten  of  clubs.  As 
the  cards  lie,  he  then  wins  the  game  easily. 


HAND  XXII. 

Returned  lead,  and  refusing  a force. 

A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Thick  1 


Tricksy 


YZ,  o 


Tricks 


rAB, 

YZ, 


Remark  (Trick  2). — B has  the  five  of  spades,  and  Y the 
king.  A,  therefore,  does  not  continue  the  trump,  but 
leaves  the  small  spade  in  his  partner’s  hand. 


26o 


WHIST. 


Trick  3. 


Tricks  (AB-  3 


Tricks  « 


Trick  5. 


Trick  6. 


B 


* * 

* 

♦ *1 


v: 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦♦♦ 


Tricks  ^yz,’  o 


Tricks  { y® ‘ ® 


Trick  7. 


B 


4-  4- 
4*  4* 


Trick  8. 


4*  4» 
4*  #4* 
4*^*4* 
4*  4* 


4*  * 
4* 

4*  4* 
4»  4* 


Tricks  | yz,’ 


, 6 


Tricks  £ y®  > 


, 6 


WHIST. 


261 


Trick  9. 


4 


4*  4* 


4.  4» 

*** 
4-  * 

¥ 

Tricks | yz,’  3 


Trick  10. 


4 


Tricks  (yZ,’  3 


Remark  (Trick  9). — A knows  B has  two  more  clubs 
{see  Tricks  7 and  8,  and  p.  80).  A,  therefore,  desires  to 
leave  the  lead  with  Y,  that  he  may  go  on  with  another 
club,  and  so  clear  B’s  suit.  Y should  fathom  this,  and, 
Trick  10,  lead  a heart. 


Trick  11. 


¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


N A 


¥ ¥ 

¥T¥ 
¥ ¥ 


Tricks|~?’ 


YZ,  3 


Remark  (Trick  n). — A 
leads  his  smallest  heart,  as 
he  does  not  want  to  tempt 
B to  finesse  ( see  p.  173).  B 
has  ace,  queen  of  hearts  (see 
his  hand  below),  but  he  does 
not  finesse,  as  the  ace  of 
hearts,  last  club,  and  A’s 
trump  make  every  trick. 


AB  win  four  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 


(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

Kg,  8,3  • • ♦ 
8,  s,  4 . . . V 

Ace,  Kg,  Qn  . «$» 
Knv,  9,  6,  3 . 4 


B’s  Hand. 
Qn,  7,  5 . .4 

Ace,  Qn  . . ^ 

10,  6,  5,  4,  3,  2 4* 
Kg,  10 . . + 


Z’s  Hand. 
Knv,  6 . . . 4* 

Kg,  Knv.  9, 7, 2 
Knv,  8,  7 . .41 

5, 4. 2 . . . ♦ 


262 


WHIST. 


Y should  play  queen  of  clubs  at  Trick  7,  and  ace  of  clubs 
at  Trick  9,  when  A will  not  have  sufficient  materials  for 
his  coup , as  he  will  be  uncertain  as  to  the  position  of  the 
best  club.  Y gives  his  adversary  too  much  information 
by  playing  book  ( see  p.  141).  When  the  adversaries  have 
command  of  trumps,  it  is  often  advisable,  especially  towards 
the  end  of  a hand,  to  play  so  as  not  to  enable  them  to  place 
the  cards. 


HAND  XXIII. 

Refusing  to  overtrump. 


A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


WHIST. 


263 


Thick  3.  g 


r * 

* v 


A 


Tricks 


/AB,  1 
IYZ,  2 


Tricks 


/AB, 
\ YZ, 


Thick  5. 


4-4- 

4* 

4s  4- 

4.  4. 


7\ 


4* 

+ 

4- 


Tricks 


/ AB, 
t YZ, 


Tricks 


/ AB, 
\ YZ, 


Remark  (Trick  6). — A does  not  overtrump.  This  is 
the  sort  of  coup  for  which  no  rule  can  be  laid  down  in 
a book,  as  it  depends  entirely  on  the  state  of  the  game 
and  the  previous  fall  of  the  cards.  A sees  that  his  only 
chance  of  two  by  cards  is  for  the  remaining  trumps  to  be 
divided,  and  for  him  to  be  able  to  bring  out  two  rounds 
before  he  loses  the  command  of  hearts.  If  then  his  partner 
has  ace,  queen  of  spades,  he  may  win  the  game. 


264 


WHIST. 


Trick  7. 


B 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 

% 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks 


rAB,  4 
YZ,  3 


Trick  8. 


Trick  9. 


Trick  10. 


Tricks  5 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — Z leads  a heart  which  A wins.  A 
leads  a spade,  and  finds  his  partner  with  ace,  queen;  and 

AB  win  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 
Kg,  9, 8.  . . 4 

Qn,9,8-  • If 

10,  8,  7,  4 . 

9, 8, 7 . . .4 


B’s  Hand. 
Ace, Q,Kv, 7,6,4  4* 
Ace,  6 . . . y 

Ace,Kg,Kv.6,5  ^ 


Z’s  Hand. 


Knv,  7,  5,  4,  3 V 
Qn,  9 . . .4 

A,Q,  Kv,  10,6.5  ♦ 


WHIST. 


265 


HAND  XXIV. 

Refusing  to  overtrump 


Y’s  Hand. 


266 


WHIST. 


Thick  3. 


4* 

♦ 

♦JgU 

¥ ¥ 

♦ ♦ 

A 

G 

4- 

♦♦♦ 

¥ ¥ 

♦ ♦ 


Thicks 


/ AB, 
\ YZ, 


Thick  4. 


♦ ♦ 


Tricks 


❖ 4| 

/ AB,  3 
l YZ,  r 


Trick  6. 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks-^  y2* 


Tricks 


/ AB, 
\ YZ, 


Thick  7. 


Thick  8. 


& 


¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 

¥ . ¥ 
¥ 

B 

¥ ¥ 

. ¥ 

Jgrjj 

¥ ¥ 

A 

¥ ¥ 

MJ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

Wf 

¥_¥ 

Y 


Tricks  {yf  ’ * 


Kvl; 


Tricks-(  v7*  ^ 


WHIST. 


267 


Remark  (Trick  10). — Y’s  play  in  not  overtrumping  is 
very  good.  He  counts  the  hand  thus  : to  make  the  odd  trick, 
Z must  hold  ace,  queen,  or  ace,  knave  of  spades  ; his  third 
card  is  evidently  the  remaining  diamond.  A must  have  a 
club  and  two  trumps ; if  he  has  three  trumps  the  game  is 
lost.  B must  have  two  clubs  and  two  trumps  (including 
queen  or  knave).  If  the  remaining  cards  are  placed  face 
upwards  on  the  table,  and  the  uncertain  cards,  viz.,  the 
nine,  four,  and  three  of  trumps,  are  given  two  to  A and 
one  to  B,  it  will  be  seen  that,  if  Y overtrumps  with  the 
seven,  he  cannot  make  the  requisite  three  tricks ; but  that, 
if  he  leaves  the  lead  with  A, 

YZ  win  the  game. 


A’s  Hand. 

4>  3>  2 • • • 

Knv,  2 . . . 

Ace,  9,  8,  7 . 

Kg,  Knv,  10,  9 


THE  HANDS. 

(Y’s  hand  is  given  above. ) 
B’s  Hand. 

Qn,  9,  8 . . 4 

Kg,  10, 8 . . y 

Kg, Kv, 10,5,4,2 

Ace . . . . 4 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Knv,  10, 5 
Qn,  3 . . . 

6 ...  . 
8,  6.  5,  4,  3,  2 . 


* 

* 

4 


At  Trick  10,  if  A discards  his  club,  and  keeps  his  three 
little  trumps  together,  leaving  the  trick  to  B,  AB  must 
win  the  odd  trick  provided  B leads  a trump  at  Trick  11  after 
trumping.  This  A might  have  reckoned. 


268 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXV. 

See  Refusing  to  overtrump,  pp.  177,  179. 
B’s  Hand. 


WHIST. 


269 


Trick  3.  y\ 

¥~¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


* 4* 
4*  4- 
4*  4. 


4*  4* 

4- 

4* 4* 

B 

Tricks  | y|’  * 


y 


Tricks{y!;  I 


Tbick  7. 


4.4 

4-*4« 

+ 4.+ 

4- *4* 


¥ ¥ 

%* 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 


v? 


4.  A 

4*  .4* 
+ *4- 
4*  4* 


4- 

4* 


Tricks 


/AB, 
\ YZ, 


Tricks 


/AB, 
l YZ,  : 


Tricks  | yz,’  \ 


Tricks  {*!' 5 


2 JO 
Trick  9. 


WHIST. 


A 


Tricks  | yz,’  3 


Trick  10* 


* 

^ A ^ 

,4  * 


rv 


* V 
¥ V 


Tricks 


/AB, 
l YZ, 


Remark  (Trick  10). — B can  count  A’s  hand — viz.,  a 
spade  and  two  diamonds.  Therefore,  if  B overtrumps  he 
cannot  possibly  win  two  more  tricks. 


Trick  11.  ft 


Tricks  | Y2*  5 


Tricks  12  and  13.  — Z 
leads  a trump  (he  has  only 
trumps  in  hand),  and  B 
makes  ace  and  eight. 


AB  win  two  by  cards. 


(B’i 

A’s  Hand. 

Kg,  Knv.9.8,7  * 
Kg,  9,  6 . . * 

7 + 

Qn,  Knv,  9, 4 . ^ 


THE  HANDS. 

hand  is  given  abc 

Y’s  Hand. 

6,  5, 4 . . .4 

Qn,  10,  3 . . y 

Ace,Qn,Knv,2  «{• 
Ace,  10,  8 . . 4 


!.) 

Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  10,  3 . . 

Knv,  7,  5,  4 . y 
Kg,  10,  6,  3 . «f> 
7,5-  • • • ♦ 


WHIST. 


271 


The  end-play  of  this  hand  is  difficult.  At  Trick  9,  Y 
leads  three  of  hearts  in  preference  to  the  queen,  as  he  can 
count  an  honour  single  in  A’s  hand.  At  Trick  10,  A’s  best 
lead  is  doubtful.  At  Trick  10,  also,  probably  Y should 
trump  with  the  queen  {see  p.  178)  ; but  even  then,  B must 
place  ten  of  hearts  in  Y’s  hand. 


HAND  XXVI. 

Counting  the  hands,  and  consequent  departure 
from  rule  to  place  the  lead. 

A’s  Hand. 


272 


WHIST. 


Remark  (Trick  2). — Y has  the  five  of  diamonds.  He 
therefore  has  the  king  also. 


Thick  3.  g 

[¥“¥ 


1 i¥W~l 


¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Tricks 


/AB,  i 
l YZ,  2 


Trick  4. 


Trick  5.  g 


¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


Tricks 


V 

/AB,  x 
X YZ,  4 


Trick  6. 


♦ ♦ 

¥ * 


Tricks 


V 

/ AB,  2 
\YZ,  4 


Tricks 


/ AB,  3 
X YZ,  4 


Trick  8. 


♦ ♦ 
♦ 

♦ ♦ 


V. 


m 

A 


♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦, 


Tricks  * 


WHIST. 


273 


Remark  (Tricks  7 and  8). — Z has  king,  nine  of  spades, 
and  possibly  the  two  also.  He  cannot  be  prevented  from 
bringing  in  his  suit,  as  he  has  the  remaining  trumps  {see 
Tricks  3,  4 and  5).  A must  not  give  Z a discard,  as  he 
would  do  by  leading  a diamond  {see  Remark,  Trick  2). 
Therefore,  notwithstanding  that  A is  establishing  the  spades 
for  the  declared  strong  hand,  he  is  forced  (Trick  8)  to  lead 
ace  of  spades. 


Thick  9.  g 


Tricks  {$£'  + 


Thick  10. 


Tricks { yz  ’ | 


Remark  (Trick  9).  — It  is  clear  that,  if  Y has  ace  of 
clubs,  the  game  is  lost,  as  he  also  holds  king  of  diamonds. 
A’s  game  is,  therefore,  to  put  the  lead  in  Z’s  hand,  and 
(Trick  10)  to  play  king  of  clubs,  second  hand. 


AB  save  the  game. 


THE  HANDS, 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

B’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

10,  6 . . . 4* 

Qn,  7,  2 . . 

♦ 

Kg,  9,  8,  4 

Kg,  8,  4 . . V 

Knv,  9,  5 . . 

Ace,  Qn,  10,6, 2 V 

Qn,  Knv,  8,  2 «$» 

10,  9,  7,  6,  4 . 

* 

Ace,  5 . . .4* 

Kg,  Qn>  5*  2 • ♦ 

9>  4 • • • • 

♦ 

8,  6.  ...  ♦ 

274 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXVII. 

See  Leading  from  weakest  suit,  p.  172. 

Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Thick  1. 


a 


v 

4*  4* 
4»^*4» 


Tricks  { y®;  * 


Tricks  { yj’’  * 


WHIST. 


275 


Remark.  — By  the  first 
discard  Z shows  his  strong 
suit  to  be  spades.  In  an 
ordinary  hand,  Z might 
afterwards  throw  a dia- 
mond. But  here,  Y must 
be  strong  in  diamonds,  in 
order  to  save  the  game ; 
and  it  is  important  for  Z 
to  keep  the  power  of  lead- 
ing that  suit  more  than 
once. 


Trick  5.  y 


Remark. — B covers  the 
honour,  because  the  lead 
was  from  weakness.  B 
plays  badly ; he  should 
have  passed  the  knave. 
For,  A has  shown  four 
more  trumps,  and  only  one 
other  trick  is  required. 
Hence,  if  A has  ace  or 
king  of  spades,  the  game  is 
won  to  a moral  certainty; 
if  not,  no  good  is  got  by 
covering. 


z 


Tricks 


/AB,  2 
\YZ,  3 


Tricks  I 


AB,  3 
YZ,  3 


WHIST. 


Y 

Trick  8. 

Y - 

¥ ¥ 

% 

¥ 

M 

B 

4*  4* 
r 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ♦ 

~V 

¥ 

¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

A 

4-  + 

4*  4* 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 

Tricks 


/ ab, 

\ YZ, 


Thicks  | yf  ’ * 


Trick  9. 


Trick  10. 


Tricks  { y®’  « 


Tricks  {y®’  5 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — A,  with  the  lead,  remains  with  the 
last  trump  and  king,  knave  of  diamonds.  He  (Trick  11) 
leads  the  trump  ; but,  whatever  he  plays, 

YZ  win  the  odd  trick. 


A’s  Hand. 

Kg  ♦ 

Kg,  4 • • • V 

Kg, 10,9,8.7.6,2  4 

Kg,  Knv,  9 . 4 


THE  HANDS. 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 
Y’s  Hand. 

Knv,  8,  5 . . 

Ace,  5,  2 . . 4 

Qn,  4,  3 . . «f> 

Ace,  Qn,  10,  2 4 


B’s  Hand. 
Qn,  9 . . .4 

Knv,  10, 9, 8,  7 V 
Ace,  Knv  . . 4* 

7-6, 4,3  . . ♦ 


WHIST. 


277 


A plays  well  throughout,  but  he  cannot  prevent  the 
result.  His  lead  of  the  trump  at  Trick  3 to  show  his 
strength,  and  to  tell  his  partner  to  make  one  trick  certain 
if  he  has  the  chance,  is  unlucky,  as  it  puts  the  adversaries  on 
the  only  tack  for  saving  the  game. 


HAND  XXVIII. 

See  Treating  long  suits  like  short  ones,  pp.  173,  174. 


B’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


278 


WHIST. 


Thick  3. 


Tricksy 


Thick  1 


♦ * 
♦ % 


V? 


*** 

♦ ♦ 

*** 


4- 

+ 


B 


Tricks 


/AB,  4 
\YZ,  o 


Thick  5. 


Thick  6. 


Thick  7. 


Thick  8. 


•K* 

4* 

4.  4. 

*** 
A A 

4-  * 

4*  4* 

*r  *r 

4* 

4-^4- 

4*  4- 

* 

4* 

~4-~ 

* 

4 

4- 

Y 

; 

Z 

4*  . 4* 
4**^4* 
* * 

Tricks 


/ AB, 
\ YZ, 


Tricks 


/AB, 
\ YZ, 


, 6 


WHIST. 


279 


Remark  (Trick  9). — Deschapelles’  Coup.  B can  count 
A’s  hand,  three  diamonds  and  two  hearts,  for  the  knave, 
ten  of  clubs  are  clearly  with  Y (see  Tricks  7 and  8). 
B therefore  leads  the  king  of  hearts  (see  p.  173).  If  he 
makes  the  usual  lead  of  a small  heart,  he  wins  a trick  less 
as  the  cards  happen  to  lie. 


Trick  11. 


♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦♦ 


Tricks  {AB’  6 


Trick  12. 


♦ ♦ 
♦♦♦ 

g| 

¥ ♦ 

¥ 

Y 

Z 

*** 

¥ ¥ 

¥ 

¥ 

) 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 


TRICKs{f?’  7 


IYZ,  5 


Trick  13. — A makes  the  king  of  diamonds;  and 
AB  score  two  by  cards, 

If  Y,  at  Trick  4,  discards  a heart,  he  saves  the  game. 
Nevertheless,  his  proper  discard  is  the  club  (see  pp.  131,132). 


280 


WHIST. 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above). 


A’s  Hand. 

Y’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

Kg,  7,  3 • • 4 

Knv,  5 . . . 4* 

9,  8,  6.  4 . . 

4 

Qn,  7 • • • f 

Ace,  8,  6 . . m 

Knv,  10,  9 

V 

8,  7,  5 • • .4* 

Ace,  Kv,  10,9,2  ^ 

Qn,  6, 4 . . 

4* 

Kg,  9,  5,  3,  2 . 4 

Ace,  10,  7 . . 4 

8, 6,  4 . . . 

♦ 

HAND  XXIX. 

See  Refusing  to  win  the  second  round  of  a suit,  p.  174. 
Z’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Thick  1. 


Tricks  | Yz/  1 


Tricks  {y!^  ° 


WHIST. 


28l 


282 


WHIST. 


Trick  9. 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


Tricks^ yz’  5 


Y ~ 

'V* 

\ 

Trick  10. 

Y 

4- 

♦ ♦ 
♦♦♦ 

as 

4»  4* 

T 

4* 

♦ 

♦ 

♦ 

1B 

A 

4*  4* 

4*  4* 

4- 

Tricks 


/AB, 

\YZ, 


Tricks  10  to  13. — Z brings  in  the  diamonds  ; and 
YZ  win  three  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Z’s  hand  is  given  above. ) 


A’s  Hand. 

Y’s  Hand. 

B’s  Hand. 

10, 2 . . . 4 

Ace,  8 . . . 

♦ 

Qn,  Knv,  5,  3. 

Kg.Q,Kv,6,5  2 y 

9,  8,  4 . . . 

¥ 

10, 7, 3 • • • 

Kg,  7,  4.  3 • -4* 

10,  9,  8,  2 . . 

♦ 

Qn,  Knv,  5 . 

Kg  . . . .4 

Ace,  8,  4,  2 . 

♦ 

Qn,  7. 5 • • 

1 


♦ 


At  Trick  4,  A having  already  shown  his  suit  does  not 
discard  from  it,  as  there  is  still  a possibility  of  bringing 
it  in  ( see  pp.  131,  133),  and  his  king  of  clubs  is  sufficiently 
protected  even  after  the  discard. 

If  Z parts  with  the  last  trump  at  Trick  6,  and  leads 
diamonds,  A,  on  the  second  round  of  diamonds,  will 
unguard  his  king  of  clubs,  knowing  his  partner  to  have 
a heart  to  lead  him  (see  fall  of  the  heart  suit,  Tricks 
I,  4,  and  5),  will  bring  in  all  the  hearts,  and  win  the 
odd  trick. 


WHIST. 


283 


HAND  XXX. 

See  Refusing  to  win  the  second  round  of  a suit, 


pp.  i74,  175- 
B’s  Hand. 


284 


WHIST. 


Trick  3. 


Trick  4. 


Trick  6. 


Trick  G. 


4*  4- 

* + 


4- 

4- 


4*  + 
4-  4- 
4*  4- 


Tricks 


V 

/AB,  1 
\YZ,  4 


Remark  (Trick  6).— B has  next  to  no  chance  of  bringing 
in  the  diamonds.  He  therefore  plays  to  protect  his  short 
suits  (see  pp.  131,  133). 

Trick  7. 


WHIST. 


285 


Remark  (Trick  7). — B refuses  to  win  this  trick.  The 
three  of  clubs  is  clearly  in  Z’s  hand  (see  fall  of  the  club  suit, 
Tricks  5 and  7),  and  the  two  long  trumps.  The  remaining 
clubs  are  evidently  in  Y’s  hand.  If,  therefore,  B parts  with 
the  ace  of  clubs  while  Z has  a club  to  lead,  AB  lose  four  by 
cards. 


Teick  9.  £ 


Tbick  10. 


Cw 


♦ ♦ 


* * 

* * 


Tricks  {$£;  3 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — B (Trick  11)  leads  the  last  diamond, 
and  forces  Z.  Z (Trick  12)  has  only  spades  to  lead;  B 
makes  ace,  queen  of  spades;  and 

YZ  score  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 

Y’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

10,  8,  7,  3 . . 

♦ 

9>  5>  2 • • • 

♦ 

Kg,  6,  4 . . * 

Knv,  9,  7 . . 

¥ 

Kg,  Qn  . . 

¥ 

Ace, 10,6, 5, 3, 2 y 

10,  4 . . . 

* 

Qn,  9,  8,  6,  5 . 

* 

Kg,  Knv,  3 . 

Kg,  9.  7i  6 . 

♦ 

10,  8,  3 . . 

♦ 

4 ♦ 

286 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXXI. 


See  Declining  to  draw  the  losing  trump, 
PP-  T75>  1 77- 
A’s  Hand. 


WHIST. 


287 


Trick  3. 


Trick  4. 


4 


4-  ♦ 

♦ 4 


V 

♦ ♦ 


Tricks 


/AB,  o 
\YZ,  3 


♦♦♦ 

4% 

4*4 


♦ ♦ 

4 

4 4 


Tricks 


V 


/AB,  o 
\YZ,  4 


Trick  5. 


G 


4 4 

4*4 
4 4l 


* 

4 

♦ 4 

a, 

4 

2 

Y 

4 4 

Jl.  a 

llll 

4 

4 4 

▼ ▼ 

♦♦♦ 

♦% 

gill 

* 

♦ ♦ 

Tricks 


/AB,  1 
\YZ,  4 


Trick  6. 


Tricks 


/AB,: 
\YZ,  . 


Remark. — It  is  evident 
that  Z’s  lead  was  from 
king,  knave,  ten,  etc.-,  and 
that  B has  no  more  hearts. 
Y returning  the  nine,  and 
the  two  not  falling,  must 
have  the  two  single,  and 
the  other  hearts  are  with 
Z. 


Remark. — The  case  now 
arises  contemplated  at  p.  176. 
A has  the  best  trump  and 
the  lead  ; Y the  losing  trump. 
Y also  has  one  card  of  his 
partner’s  established  suit 
(see  Remark,  Trick  5).  A 
therefore  (Trick  7)  does  not 
draw  the  trump. 


288 


WHIST. 


Thick  7.  B 


Thick  8.  0 


* * 


Tricks  | y|’  * 


+ 


A 

Tricks  { y®’  § 


Thick  9. 


Tricks | yz,’  6 


Thick  10.  g 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — Y has  nothing  but  clubs  to  lead. 
A wins  the  three  tricks;  and 

YZ  win  the  odd  trick. 

If,  at  Trick  7,  A draws  the  trump,  YZ  win  two  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

B’s  Hand. 

Kg,  7 • • • 

* 

10,  8,  5,  2 . .A 

Ace,  9,  2 . . 

8,  6 . . . .V 

Kg,  Qn,  4,  2 . 

f 

Knv,  9,  8,  6,  3 A 

Kg,  7,  6,  4 . 

♦ 

10,  2 ...  ♦ 

Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  4 . . .A 

Kg,  Knv,  10,4,3  ▼ 
10,  7,  5.  . .A 

Ace,  5,  3 • • ▼ 


WHIST. 


289 


HAND  XXXII. 


See  Throwing  high  cards  to  place  the  lead, 
pp.  179,  181. 


A’s  Hand. 


Trick  1.  £ 


THE  PLAY. 

Trick  2. 


Tricks  { Yz’ 1 

Remark. — B has  no  more 
spades. 


4 4 

4* 

4* 

♦ 4 

4 4 

4 

J 

4- 

4*  4 

4 

Z 

Y 

4* 

4 4 

4 ~ 

4 

4*  4* 

4 4 

* 

4 

4 

4*  4 

Tricks  { $£;  ° 


290 


WHIST. 


WHIST. 


29I 


he  must  continue  the  spade  suit,  a course  demonstrably 
fatal  to  him.  By  throwing  the  king  to  the  ace  A avoids 
the  lead,  and  saves  the  game  if  his  partner  has  queen  of 
diamonds  (as  may  be  seen  by  placing  the  cards),  unless 
the  adversaries  continue  the  spade  suit,  when  the  game 
cannot  be  saved  by  any  course  of  play.  This  clever  coup 
occurred  in  actual  play. 


Trick  9. 


♦ ♦ 
♦♦♦ 
♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 


Tricksy 


AB,  3 
YZ,  6 


Tricks  10  to  13.  — B 
brings  in  the  hearts,  win- 
ning two  more  tricks ; A 
makes  his  trump  ; and 


YZ  score  the  odd  trick. 


THE  HANDS. 


(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 
Kg,  10,  8,  6,  5 * 
Kg,  10,  7 . . y 

Qn,  Knv,  10  . «f» 

9,6.  . . .<* 


B’s  Hand. 

4 

Ace,Kv,9,4  3.2  y 
Kg,  3 . . . 

Qn,  8,  3,  2 . + 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  Qn,  2 . 

«••••¥ 

Ace,  9,  5,  2 .4* 
Ace.Kv,  10,7,5^ 


At  Trick  2,  B does  not  cover  (see  p.  112). 

At  Trick  5,  B having  shown  hearts  as  his  suit,  Y should 
lead  nine  of  diamonds;  but  his  play  is  not  under  exami- 
nation. 


292 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXXIII. 

See  Throwing  high  cards  to  place  the  lead, 
pp.  179,  183. 

A’s  Hand 


WHIST. 


293 


Thick  3. 


Thick  4. 


B 


♦♦♦ 

♦♦♦ 
♦ + ♦ 


* * 
4»  4* 


♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ 


4-  4* 
* * 
4-  4- 


Tricks | yz’  2 

Remark.— Y has  the 
knave  of  diamonds. 


Thick  5. 


Thick  G. 


Tricksy 


Tricks 


f AB, 
\YZ, 


Trick  7. 


Trick  8. 


4*  + 
4* 

4*  4* 


4-4- 

4* 

4*  4* 

4.^*4. 


4*  4* 
4*  .4* 
*** 
4.  4, 


Tricks 


/AB,  2 
\YZ,  5 


Tricks  J 


294  WHIST. 


Remark  (Trick  io). — A plays  very  well  in  putting  on 
the  ace.  He  wants  two  more  tricks  besides  his  ace  of 
hearts  to  save  the  game.  The  last  trump  and  best 
diamond  are  against  him.  It  is  clear,  therefore,  if  A 
has  .the  lead  after  the  second  round  of  hearts  (when  he 
must  lead  a diamond),  he  loses  the  game.  It  is  also 
clear  that  unless  B has  king,  knave,  and  a small  heart, 
the  game  is  gone. 


Tbicx  11. 


Tricks-^  4 


YZ,  7 


Tr,cks{vI;  7 


YZ  score  two  by  cards. 


WHIST. 


295 


THE  HANDS. 


(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 
Knv,  8,  7 . . ^ 

7, 6, 4 . . y 

Kg,  io,  5 . . * 

Ace,  Knv,  10,5  y 


B’s  Hand. 


10,  9,  6,  3 . . 

Kg,  Knv,  5, 3, 2 y 
Qn,  4 ...  ^ 


9,8.  . . . y 


Z’s  Hand. 
Kg,  Qn,  5 . . 

10, 9,  8 . . . 

Ace,Knv,9,7,6 

3,  2 . . . . 


At  Trick  2,  Y is  in  difficulties.  His  strong  suit  has 
been  led  by  his  right-hand  adversary.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, he  leads  from  his  strongest  weak  suit. 

At  Trick  6,  Y’s  play  in  continuing  the  trump  is  open  to 
criticism.  His  better  lead  seems  to  be  knave  of  diamonds. 
Z wins  his  partner’s  ten  of  trumps  in  order  to  draw  all  the 
trumps.  It  is  very  bad  play,  for  if  Z passes  the  ten,  and 
Y leads  the  knave  of  diamonds,  the  game  is  certain.  This 
is  an  example  of  the  very  common  error  of  winning  part- 
ner’s trick.  It  should  seldom  be  done,  and  only  if  a 
positive  advantage  can  be  well-nigh  demonstrated  from 
doing  it. 

At  Trick  11,  the  advantage  of  winning  partner’s  trick — 
when  judiciously  done — is  shown.  B can  read  his  partner 
with  two  losing  diamonds.  He,  therefore,  takes  the  only 
chance  to  save  the  game. 


296 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXXIV. 

Echo  of  the  Call  [see  p.  156). 

Z’s  Hand. 


THE 


Thick  1. 


£ 


4% 

4*4 


4 4 

4 4 


Tricks  | yz’  o 


PLAY. 

Trick  2. 


4 4 
4*4 
4 4 


441 

4 

4 4 


Tricks 


/AB,  2 
l YZj  o 


Remark  (Trick  2). — Y has  called  for  trumps.  Z,  having 
four  trumps  himself,  commences  to  echo  his  partner’s  call. 


WHIST. 


297 


Trick  3. 


Remark. — Z completes 
the  echo  of  the  call. 


Trick  4.  y 


Tricks { \ 


Trick  0. 


Tricks  \ 


Remark  (Trick  6). — Z having  echoed,  Y has  no  hesitation 
in  leading  trumps  again  after  being  forced  a second  time. 


Trick  8. 


♦% 

♦ ♦ 


rv 


•p 

+ + 
4*  + 


♦ ♦ 

2 

Tricks  | 


AB,  3 
YZ,  5 


298 


WHIST. 


Z 


Tricks  10  to  13.— A 
(Trick  10)  leads  queen  of 
diamonds,  which  analysis 
shows  is  rather  better  than 
a club,  though,  as  the  cards 
happen  to  lie,  his  lead  is 
immaterial.  Y trumps  the 
diamond,  and 


Tricks{yz;  5 

YZ  score  three  by  cards. 


But  for  the  echo,  the  game  might  have  been  missed.  If 
after  being  forced  a second  time,  at  Trick  5,  Y deems  it 
prudent  not  to  continue  trumps,  and  leads  two  rounds  of 
diamonds,  B makes  a small  trump,  and  the  game  is  saved. 


THE  HANDS. 


A’s  Hand. 


(Z’s  hand  is  given  above.) 
Y’s  Hand. 


10,3.  . . . 4 


Ace, Qn, Knv, 8 4* 
Ace,  2 . .If 
Knv,  4,  3 . . + 

Qn,  10,  9,  8 . 4 


Kg,Q,Kv,io,7  If 

10,  5, 2 . . . Jft 

Ace,  Kg,  3.  . 4 


B’s  Hand. 

Kg,  5.  4 • • 4 
6,4.  . . . * 
A, Kg, Q, 9, 8, 7, 6 

Knv.  ...  4 


WHIST. 


299 


HAND  XXXV. 

Leading  losing  trump,  to  place  the  lead. 
Y’s  Hand. 


WHIST. 


3°° 


Thick  3.  2 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


w 


¥ ¥ 

%* 
¥ ” ¥ 


Tricks  | yz’  i 


Thick  4. 


Remarks  (Tricks  3 and  4).  — Y leads  fourth-best ; Z 
echoes  ; but  as  the  cards  lie,  it  so  happens  that  the  position 
of  the  hearts  would  be  independently  marked  after  Trick  5. 


Tricks  { AB’  2 


YZ,  3 


Thick  6. 


4 

4 

4* 


T\ 


♦ ♦ 
4 

4 4 


4 

4* 


Tricks 


/ AB,  2 
IYZ,  4 


Tricks{^?>  2 


l YZ,  5 


Thick  8. 


4 4* 
4*  .4 
4*  *4 
4 4 


4 4 
4 4 
4 4 


¥ 

¥ 

¥ 

Y 


4 • 4 
4*4 
4.4 
+*+ 


Tricks 


/ AB, 
\ YZ, 


WHIST. 


3GI 


Thick  1 


Thick  10. 


Tricksy 


Remark  (Trick  io). — Well  played  by  Y.  He  can  count 
his  partner’s  hand,  viz.,  the  eight  of  trumps  {see  Remark, 
Trick  4,  and  the  fall  of  the  hearts,  Tricks  3,  4,  and  5),  the 
last  club,  and  a losing  spade,  as  Z having  put  on  the  ace 
of  spades  (Trick  9),  cannot  have  the  king.  Y therefore 
trumps  with  the  nine,  and  (Trick  11)  leads  the  seven  of 
hearts  to  put  the  lead  in  Z’s  hand.  Z (Trick  12)  leads  the 
club,  to  which  Y discards  the  ten  of  spades  ; and 


YZ  win  five  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(Y’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 

Qn  . . . . * 

Qn,  10  . . . If 

Qn,  10,  4,  2 . 
AQn,Kv,9,8,5  + 


B’s  Hand. 

Kg,  7,  5, 4. 3- 2 ♦ 

Ace.  . . . y 

9-  5,  3 • • • *f» 
10, 4,  3.  . . ▲ 

\ 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  6 . . . 4* 

Kg,  8,  5,  4 . y 

Ace,  Kg,  8,  7,  6 

7,6.  ...  ♦ 


At  Trick  4,  B should  have  led  a spade.  A having 
shown  at  least  five  diamonds  by  leading  ace,  then  knave 
( see  p.  87),  the  diamond  is  sure  to  be  trumped,  and  it  may 
force  the  weak  trump  hand,  or  may  allow  one  adversary  to 
discard  and  the  other  to  trump. 


3°2 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXXVI. 

Echo  after  a force  (see  p.  158). 
B’s  Hand. 


WHIST. 


3°3 


Trick  8. 


Tricks  { l 

Remark. — B has  called. 


Trick  4. 


Trick  5. 


z%* 

¥^¥ 

¥ ¥ 

* * 

¥ V 
V 

¥ Y 

V ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 

Tricks  (y|;  * 


Trick  0. 


Trick  7. 


Tricks -I 


•{42 ; 

Remark. — A has  echoed. 
He  therefore  had  at  least 
four  trumps  originally. 


Trick  8. 


Tricks  | yz,’  5 

Remark.  — The  remaining 
trump  is  in  A’s  hand.  But  for 
the  echo, it  might  be  in  Z’s  hand. 


3°  4 


WHIST. 


Remark  (Trick  9).— B can  now  lead  ace  of  diamonds, 
without  fear  of  its  being  trumped  ( see  Remark,  Trick  8). 
If  the  position  of  the  other  trump  were  uncertain,  the  lead 
of  the  ace  of  diamonds  would  be  wrong.  For,  by  leading 
nine  of  trumps,  B can  make  certain  of  saving  the  game 
( see  score)  ; whereas,  if  Z has  a trump,  and  trumps  the  ace 
of  diamonds,  B loses  the  game,  as  Y will  then  make  a 
diamond. 


Tricks  ii  to  13. — B makes  his  three  trumps,  and 
AB  win  the  game. 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 

8,  7-  S.  3 • • ♦ 

Qn,  10,  7,  6,  5 

3 * 

9.  5-  2 • • • ♦ 


Y’s  Hand. 
Knv,  10  . . 

Ace,  4,  2 . . 

Knv,  9,  4,  2 . •£» 
Knv,  10,  8,  6 . ^ 


Z’s  Hand. 
Kg,  2 . . . ^ 

Kg,  9,  3 • • V 

A, Kg, Q, 10, 7, 5 

Kg,  7 • • • ♦ 


WHIST. 


305 


HAND  XXXVII. 

The  Sub-Echo  (see  p.  158). 

A’s  Hand. 


Three  of  hearts  turned  up. 


THE  PLAY. 


Trick  1.  g 


Trick  2. 


Tricks  i 


WHIST. 


3°6 


Thick  3. 

B 

Tbick  4. 

B 

4 * 

4 

Y 

4 4 

4 4 

4 

4 4 

Ml 

z 

Y 

<r  ¥ 

4 

z 

♦ 4 

4 4 

^ ^ 
¥*¥ 

4 4 

J 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 

A 

Tricks  ° 

A 

Thicks  (yZ,’  4 

Remark  (Trick  4). — B has  sub-echoed.  Therefore  he 
has  two  more  trumps  exactly. 

B also  has  knave  of  spades. 


WHIST. 


3°  7 


Remark  (Trick  7). — In  consequence  of  the  sub-echo,  A 
leads  ace  of  clubs.  The  fall  shows  B has  king  or  no  more. 
A (Trick  8)  continues  club.  B trumps  (see  the  hands  below), 
and  leads  spades,  on  which  A discards  losing  diamonds,  and 

AB  win  the  game. 


THE  HANDS. 


(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand; 

| B’s  Hand. 

Z’s  Hand. 

6,  3 • • • • ♦ 

Knv,  7,5,  4,  2 ^ 

Ace, Kg, Qn,  10  4* 

10, 4, 2 . . y 

7, 6, 5 . . . y 

Ace,  3 . . . y 

Kg,  Knv,  9, 6, 5 «f. 

10, 3 . . . 4. 

8,  4,  2 . . 4 

7,  1 2 . . . ♦ 

Qn,  10,  5 . . ♦ 

Kg,  Knv,  9, 4 • ♦ 

If,  at  Trick  7,  A is  uncertain  as  to  the  position  of  the 
remaining  trump,  he  will  most  likely  draw  it,  as  he  and 
his  partner  have  the  winning  card  of  every  suit.  If  he 
leads  a trump,  and  (Trick  8)  a diamond,  he  loses  the 
game,  as  is  easily  seen  by  so  playing  the  cards. 

* 


3°8 


WHIST. 


HAND  XXXVIII. 


Coup  of  compelling  a discard,  same  in  principle  as 
the  Vienna  Coup. 

Y’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


Trick  1.  Z 


¥ 

¥ 

¥ 

¥"~¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 

Y 


¥ ¥ 
¥ 


'~V 


Tricks  { ' 


Trick  2.  Z 


¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 
¥ 

¥ ¥ 


Y 

Tricks { y®*  * 


WHIST. 


309 


Trice  3. 


♦ ♦ 
♦ 

♦ ♦ 


♦ ♦ 
%♦ 
♦ ♦ 


Tricks 


/AB,  2 
\YZ,  1 


Trick  4. 


Trick  6. 


4-4- 

4* 


Trick  G. 


z 


*gk  - 

4*  4* 

4*.+ 

4* 

£jri 

♦ ♦ 

4*  4* 

A 

B 

4-JU* 

4. 

4-4* 

♦ 

♦ ♦ 

Tricks  \ 


Tricks  | 3 


Trick  7. 


* 4. 
4-  +J 


B~\ 


Trick  8. 


4* 

~Y 


+*4* 
4*  r 4* 
*** 


Tricks  3 


L YZ, 


3io 


WHIST. 


Thick  9. 


♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 
♦ ♦ 


ys 


4 4 
4 

4 4 


4 4 
* 

4 4 

- Y 


4^4 
f V 

* V, 


:ks^ 


Tricks  | y|’  3 


Thick  10. 


Remark  (Trick  9). — Well  played  by  Y.  He  can  count 
B’s  hand  as  follows  : ten  and  two  small  diamonds  ; queen 
of  spades  (see  Trick  6 — the  lead  of  the  king  could  only  be 
from  king,  queen)  ; and  one  other  card,  probably  a small 
spade,  for  had  B another  heart  he  would  most  likely  have 
continued  his  partner’s  original  lead,  instead  of  changing 
the  suit.  Y now  leads  a trump  in  hopes  that  B will 
discard  the  small  spade,  when  Y will  lead  the  seven  of 
spades  to  throw  the  lead  into  B’s  hand,  and  B will  be 
obliged  to  lead  a diamond  up  to  Y’s  tenace. 

B,  however,  discards  a diamond.  Y continues  his  tactics 
(see  Trick  10),  leading  another  trump.  This  compels 
another  discard  from  B.  If  B discards  the  small  spade, 

Y leads  the  losing  spade  ; if  B discards  another  diamond, 

Y establishes  the  diamonds,  and  in  either  case  wins  the 
game.  This  fine  coup  occurred  in  actual  play. 


Tricks  11  to  13. — Y (Trick  11)  leads  the  spade.  B is 
obliged  (Trick  12)  to  lead  a diamond  ; and 


YZ  score  three  by  cards. 


WHIST. 


31 1 


THE  HANDS. 

(Y’s  hand  is  given  above  ) 


A’s  Hand. 
Knv,  9,  8,  4 . 4 
Qn,  10,  9,  8,  2 y 
10,  8,  6.  . . 

9 ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 

Kg,  Qn,  2.  , ^ 

Ace,  Kg  . . # 

Qn,  9 . . .4. 

10,  7, 6,  5,  4.  3 4 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,  10,  6,  5 . 4 
Knv,  7,  4,  3 . V 
Kg,  7,  4 . .4. 

Knv,  2.  . . 4 


At  Trick  10,  B should  notice  that  he  must  lose  the  game 
if  he  retains  the  queen  of  spades.  His  only  chance  of 
saving  the  game  here  is  to  discard  the  queen  of  spades,  in 
hopes  of  finding  his  partner  with  two  tricks  in  spades,  or 
with  a trick  in  spades  and  hearts.  If  A has  not  these 
cards,  the  game  is  lost. 


312 


WHIST, 


HAND  XXXIX. 


Grand  Coup  (see  pp.  183,  187). 
B’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


WHIST. 


313 


3*4 


WHIST. 


diamonds,  Tricks  2,  3,  4,  6,  and  7),  and  all  the  clubs  are 
in  Y’s  hand.  Y must  therefore  have  three  trumps  and 
two  spades.  If  B discards  a spade  to  this  trick,  he  cannot 
avoid  leading  trumps  twice  up  to  Y.  In  that  case  Y will 
make  two  tricks  in  trumps,  saving  the  game,  as  will  be 
apparent  by  so  playing  the  cards.  The  result  is  otherwise 
if  B trumps  his  partner’s  best  heart.  He  can  then  lead 
out  ace  and  king  of  spades,  to  which  Y must  follow  suit; 
and  by  continuing  with  the  six  of  clubs  (the  nine,  eight, 
and  three  are  in  against  him),  B secures  the  tenace,  and 
wins  the  game. 


Tricks  9 to  13. — B (Tricks  9 and  10)  leads  spades,  and 
(Trick  11)  the  six  of  clubs.  B makes  the  last  two  tricks, 
and 

AB  score  three  by  cards. 


THE  HANDS. 

(B’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


A’s  Hand. 

9, 5. 4, 3. 2 . ♦ 

Ace, Kg.Q, 10,2  f 

Kg.  . . . * 

10,  6 


Y’s  Hand. 

Qn,  6 . . 

Knv,  9,  8,  5,  3 f 
9,  8,  3,  2 . . «£ 

Ace,  9 ...  $ 


Z’s  Hand. 
Knv,  10,  8,  7 . 4* 

7,4-  • • • f 

Ace,  10  . . 4* 

Qn,  Knv,  87,2^ 


At  Trick  4,  Z leads  his  lowest  diamond,  though  holding  five, 
because  strength  in  trumps  is  declared  against  (see  p.  146). 

At  Trick  5,  B trumps  with  his  lowest  ( see  p.  146). 


WHIST. 


315 


HAND  XL. 

Grand  Coup  (see  pp.  183,  187). 
A’s  Hand. 


THE  PLAY. 


316 


WHIST. 


Trick  3. 


TAB,  o 
» Y Z, 

Remark. — B has  called. 


Tricks  {yZ;  3 


Teick  4. 


r 

l m 


1 

1 

1 

m 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥ 

¥ ¥l 


¥ 

A 


Tricks{yI;  3 


Teick  5. 


B 


Teick  6. 


Tr,CKS{y!'3 
Remark. — B has  three  of 
trumps. 


Tricks  f y®’  * 


Teick  7. 


B 


Trick  8. 


¥ ¥ 
¥ a ¥ 
¥*¥ 
¥ ¥ 


V 

V 
¥ ¥ 


¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 
¥ ¥ 


V 


Tricks  £ y^’ 


Tricks  £ y^’  \ 


WHIST. 


317 


Remark. — A plays  a masterly  coup  in  trumping  with 
the  four.  He  argues  that  B,  having  a weak  hand,  would 
not  call  for  trumps  with  less  than  five  trumps,  two 
honours.  If  so,  B has  a trump  too  many,  and  Y must 
make  a trick  in  trumps,  unless  B can  play  the  Grand 
Coup  with  the  three  of  trumps  {see  Remark,  Trick  5). 

B undertrumps  his  partner,  the  Grand  Coup . 


and  AB  win  the  odd  trick. 


WHIST. 


3l8 


THE  HANDS. 

(A’s  hand  is  given  above.) 


Y’s  Hand. 

Kg,  9,  2 . . ^ 

Qn,  Knv,  io  . If 

8,  4,  3 • • • + 
Kg,  9>  7,  5-  • ♦ 


B’s  Hand. 

8,  7,  5 . . . ♦ 

9,4-  • • 

Kg,  9,  5 • • ♦ 

Ace, Qn,  io,8, 3 ^ 


Z’s  Hand. 
Ace,Qn,Kv,  10  4* 
Kg,  7,  6,  5.3,2  * 
Ace,  Qn  . Jft 
Knv  , . . ^ 


At  Trick  5,  B can  place  all  dhe  remaining  trumps;  hence 
he  undertrumps  his  partner  at  Trick  10.  Though  his  play 
is  very  good,  A’s  coup  in  trumping  with  the  four,  so  as  to 
render  B’s  coup  possible,  is  entitled  to  the  palm.  Hence, 
A’s  hand  heads  the  example. 

At  Trick  9,  Z ought  to  lead  knave  of  spades,  on  which  Y 
should  discard  eight  of  clubs,  when  YZ  win  the  game. 


' 


. 


